Work in Progress
by Elizabeth Perry
Summary: Addek, MarkCallie, MirandaCallieAddison friendship. What would happen if Derek learned something about what really happened with the affair that made him change his view on everything?
1. Chapter 1

Note: To the readers of my other stories, please place the blame where it's deserved  
on Grey's Anatomy who wouldn't let me sleep since I fell in love with two of their characters,  
Addison and Derek so as you can see this is clearly an Addek story.

Pairings: Addison/Derek, Mark/Callie, Miranda/Callie/Addison friendship. Only minor scenes of Meredith, George and Cristina. No mention of Izzie although she may come in later.

Spoilers: Minor ones for 3.4 and I sorta twisted the other ones as I see fit. Some of the continuity may seem out of place but bear with them as I just started watching 3 episodes ago.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything and I don't want to, it would be too much of a headache to even try.

* * *

"Just sign the papers, Derek. I'm tired of lamenting and rehashing the past. You found out the truth from Mark, so now you know the whole sordid story but that doesn't change the fact that you love Meredith. You slept with Meredith when I was mere footsteps away…." 

Derek looked at her through pain-filled eyes, "Addie, I can't leave it like this. What Mark told me…."

Addison met his eyes with cool ones of her own, "So you found out the truth, you found out that the reason that I slept with him had more to do with emotional instability than falling in love with Mark and betraying you and now you are feeling repentant. This repentance of yours doesn't really do me a lot of good though."

Derek sat across from her staring into her eyes and said, "I was wrong, I didn't even give you a chance to explain what happened and then when I told you that I wanted to retry, I was only half trying."

Addison snorted which was unladylike of her but she met his eyes, "I know, I've always known but in my stupid, naïve heart I believed that if you knew that I never intentionally set out to sleep with your best friend you would understand. When you told me that you wanted to try again, I felt that maybe if I had a chance to explain the truth you could sympathize with me, never forgive me but at least understand what I was going through. I wasn't planning on you using this as a means to exact your revenge on me, well you won. I'm now sufficiently humiliated just as I assume you were when you found out the truth. It's over, Meredith has chosen you and you can walk away from me with no guilt."

Derek stood up, "I can't leave here and go to Meredith with this baggage between us, it's not fair to her or you and I. I want to talk about this Addison…."

Addison held up her hand, "I'm not going through this again. You say you want to be with me all the while sending longing looks to Meredith. I should've walked away and not cared what the hell you thought of me, but something inside told me that the love that we once shared couldn't be demolished in such a short period of time, I was wrong again. Look Derek, leave go back to her and just leave me alone."

Derek opened his mouth to protest but Addison shook her head and said, "For months I was waiting on you to show any sort of emotion to let me know that you cared, a look a smile, a touch but everything inside of you was always reserved for Meredith. I just internalized all my emotions and kept all my feelings of despair to myself, I had no choice. Now because you suddenly found out a truth, I had been begging you for months to listen to, you become repentant? Just sign the papers Derek and let's put an end to this once and for all."

Derek put the pen down and shook his head and leaned back in his chair, "I'm married to you still Addison and that means…."

Addison interrupted his talk, "So you now know the whole truth and want to repair the damage? It's too late Derek; you've drained all of me, all that I was I gave to you during 11 years where I was in a marriage by myself. I had been waiting for months for you to give me a sign that I still meant anything to you, it never happened. I just want this be over with, everyone wants this to be over with." Picking up the pen once again she handed it to Derek, "I'm asking you as the woman who's loved you for more than half of her life to let her go, let her have some peace. Let her be happy."

Derek reached for the pen to sign the divorce papers and looked at her through tear filled eyes, "Addison, I can't do this, I won't do this. I made a mistake and I'm ready to admit it but you have to meet me halfway, you have to let me make-up everything I took away from you."

Derek looked into her eyes and reached for the pen and brushed his fingers with hers and Addison inhaled a sharp breath and closed her eyes. She was unable to stop the tears that inadvertently leaked out of her eyes, "What was that supposed to prove? That I'm not immune to you, I was never immune to the love I felt for you, I always wanted you Derek."

Derek flinched from the look of devastation in her eyes and said, "If I sign these papers, it means the truth wasn't a factor in our marriage. Addison you went through hell at my hands and Mark…"

Addison shook her head, "Mark was a mistake. No matter what the circumstances, I should've had more self control, more self respect but I was weak and I think I've more than paid for my mistake don't you? Just let me go and like I told you a week ago, don't hurt Meredith she's more than paid for your indecisions."

Addison grabbed her purse and walked out of the room and left Derek alone with the pen suspended in his hand.

&&&&&&&&

"So has McDodo signed the papers yet?" Addison looked up from wiping away tears and smiled at Bailey who was probably the best friend she had in this town apart from her mentor Richard and who had insisted on accompanying her to the lawyer's office as support as her marriage was dissolved.

Addison shook her head as she tried to keep from crying, "He feels guilty now after knowing the whole story and wants to make it up to me. He wants us to try again."

Bailey crossed her arm in front of hers "Wasn't that the whole purpose of him not signing the papers all those months ago when you brought them to him?"  
Addison shrugged her shoulders, "I guess he feels I didn't come to him with the whole story so he could _judge_ me properly. It was still too recent for me Miranda, I couldn't let him in to something that still hurt too much, and god it still hurts even now."

Miranda flashed her look of sympathy, "I will go in there and whoop his butt into shape if you need me to but I'm under the assumption that what you really want is some peace and quiet and since I can't offer you that with my son and husband, what do you say we go out on the town, just girls?"

Addison shook her head and said, "I have a better idea, I have a perfectly good hotel room that has just been itching to be used as a slumber party, so let's go there and then we can discuss what I'm going to do about being Addison Forbes Montgomery without the Shepherd in the morning."

Miranda smiled and said, "It sounds like a plan to me, let me just call my husband and then well be on our way."

Addison nodded and pulled Miranda grateful to have support of a good friend in these moments.

&&&&&&&&

"He's signing the papers now. He's divorcing her and we can finally be together, it almost feels too good to be true."

Christina snorted from her position on the counter, "If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. I don't know, until McDreamy comes to you with signed divorce papers in hand he wouldn't step two feet in front of me."

Meredith shook her head, "He told me he made the wrong choice and that he wants me back, and he's not going to back out on that promise."

Christina looked at her with a look of disbelief, "Maybe, just maybe if it was Finn saying it I would believe it but this is McDreamy who recently has been dubbed McStupid in my book. There's nothing that he can do that would surprise me at this point. I still am trying to wrap my brain around how you could take McDreamy over Finn."

Meredith started picking at her clothes, "What can I say Christina? You don't choose who you love."

&&&&&&&&

Mark started looking through all the doors at the courthouse looking for where the dissolution of the marriage between Derek and Addison could possibly be taking place. He opened the door at the end of the hall and peeked in and saw Derek hunched over the table with the pen set in front of him. He walked in and said, "What are you waiting for? Put an end to this marriage once and for all, I have someone to get back to."

Derek barely spared him a glance as he looked up, "She left about 30 minutes ago, I thought you would be here already trying to get her to marry you or at least _comforting _her."

Mark sat down across from him in disbelief, "You are amazing you know that don't you? My god, even after everything I told you, you still don't get it do you? I was never jealous of you, why would I be? I was pissed that you were wasting your time becoming the best in your field and leaving your wife out there for anybody to take. Addison was gorgeous but she always had a self-esteem problem, something that you certainly didn't help out with. She never deserved to be treated the way you did, my god the dog you had you treated better than her. You never deserved her and I admit at one time, she's all I wanted but I've been told by her that all she wants is some peace and quiet, so I'm leaving her alone. She doesn't even want me to be her friend."

Derek looked up at that and leaned back in his chair with a smirk, "You don't win after all, do you?"

Mark shrugged, "I may have not won this round but the game is still underfoot, besides you're not even in the running far as I can see. I hear that Meredith is at home waiting for you to come home and say that you are divorced. So tell me, what are you waiting for?"

Derek looked at him and said, "I can't do it Mark. I did things and spoke things to Addison that no man should ever speak to his wife. I treated her as an obligation more than what she as and now that I know everything she sacrificed and internalized because I was too busy I'm disgusted with myself."

Mark stood up, "You were never better than I was Derek. You made mistakes just as I did, when I realized that she meant more to me than I should've pushed her to divorce you instead of causing all of this. I took advantage of her emotional state and I'm not proud of that Derek and I do apologize for that, in my defense I fell in love and for the first time in my life I didn't know how to react."

Derek looked up at him and nodded, "Meredith is waiting back for me at the house she wants us to go out to dinner to celebrate my single status and the last thing on my mind is celebrating the destruction of a marriage that I was more than ninety percent responsible for causing."

Mark nodded, "I have a date with a pretty new ortho surgeon. I'll be leaving."

Derek looked up at him, "Torres?"

Mark nodded, "She's certainly surprised me, she hasn't asked for anything formal and right now it's just sex, really great sex but you never know."

Derek rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the papers that would finalize a part of his life. 11 years of love, fights, happiness and he didn't know how to sign it all away.

&&&&&&&&

Miranda handed her a wine cooler which she passed as she reached for another glass of sparkling grape juice. Miranda looked at her and said, "Something I should know?"

Addison looked up at her as she sipped the juice, "I got a positive pregnancy test the night of the prom."

Miranda looked at her in shock, "You're pregnant?"

Addison shrugged, "I could be or it could be that start of early menopause, I just don't want to get my hopes up. After everything I've been through these past couple of months a false positive could devastate me so I'm just taking it one day at a time."

Miranda shook her head, "You have to be one of the dumbest women I know, you have a chance to save your marriage by telling him the truth of the supposed _affair _and you don't do it and then you have a chance of giving him a _child_ and you don't tell him, why don't you just tell me what you really wanetd out of this marriage?"

Addison looked up, "I was never going to tell Derek you know, why would I? He didn't care anyway so it seemed like a waste of my words, he fell out of love with me Miranda. What is telling him the truth about the fact that I lost his child going to do? Then the night of the prom, my heart felt so full, it was full of hope and love and I couldn't wait to tell Derek. It was going to be a surprise, a signal of us starting over and then he sleeps with Meredith and all my hopes and desires for the future went out in a moment and I was back at the start alone and dejected."

Miranda nodded as she reached for the ice cream, "Well that won't do, in the morning we'll run a battery of tests and see if you are truly pregnant and if you are pregnant what are you going to do?"

Addison shrugged, "If I'm pregnant with Derek's child, I'll deal with it afterwards. One day at a time, its bad enough I have Mark breathing down my neck wherever I go, telling me how great we are together and now I'll have Derek there as well."

Miranda smiled and said, "Well, if nothing else, you can now say that you are no longer Derek's wife so that means that he won't be bothering you anymore."

Addison smiled softly, "I just wish that were the case Miranda. I have a feeling that it's just going to get started. There was something in his eyes today, something I hadn't seen in a long time, and he was truly apologetic and afraid of where to turn. He was sorry he doubted me, and it seemed like he was sorry because he made the wrong choice. I don't know. Whatever it was, I felt for the first time that if I wanted to fight from that moment on for our marriage I would have someone who would be willing to fight with me by my side. It's weird but its how I felt."

&&&&&&&&

The knock on the door didn't come too soon for Meredith Grey as she was anxiously awaiting the return of Derek Shepherd. He was supposed to be here within the hour telling her that the divorce was final and that everything that they had fought for, everything they were was finally going to get a chance to be made known.

She flung open the door as was met with Derek's face, she launched herself into his arms and said, "Is it finished? Are you free?"

Derek pulled back away from her and looked her into the eye. He didn't have the heart to tell her the truth, to tell her that he hadn't signed any papers and that until he was satisfied with how he left Addison he wouldn't be signing any papers.

"Derek, you didn't answer me, are you free?"

Derek smiled as he looked into her sparkling eyes and smile and heard the words of Addison in his head, _Don't hurt her again_. He had been making mistakes in his life since the moment that Addison had come back to Seattle fighting for him and their marriage. He wasn't about to make anymore.

He nodded once, uneasy with speaking the words aloud and was relieved when the squeal that came from Meredith was sufficient for her to believe that it was truly over and he was free. He knew at that moment that he wasn't free and he would never truly be free.

* * *

Let me know what you think, I totally crave reviews 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: OMG, I totally didn't expect such a warm reception but it has fueled me to give you an  
update sooner than I was expecting. Thanks for all the replies, I really appreciate them. Also,  
while it may seem that Callie's absent in the beginning, I'll start incorporating her bit by into the  
Addison/Bailey friendship because I think she's important.

* * *

**Next Morning**

Addison leaned against the door of her hotel as the room swam and her stomach revolted. She had set up in bed to quickly but she knew that she didn't have another choice. If she wanted to be 100 sure that she was pregnant that morning sickens was definitely a positive sign.

Miranda peeked out at her from under the covers, "Menopause my foot. You are pregnant and don't try to deny it."

Addison slid down the door jamb and nodded in agreement, "I think you're right Dr. Bailey. What's your next suggestion?"

Miranda sat up in bed and walked into the bathroom, she came back out carrying a warm washcloth and a cup of warm coke. She placed the warm washcloth on her head and handed her the cup of coke.

Addison peered into the cup and then looked at her friend in confusion, "Coke, what about ginger ale?"

Miranda put her hands on her hips, "Does it look like the 7-11 in your room? I'm working with what we have besides we were shopping last night and you didn't buy anything to help out your symptoms either."

Addison nodded and sipped the coke and said, "I'm not married anymore and I'm pregnant. God, do I know how to screw things up or what? I mean for months all I wanted from Derek was an assurance that I was important in his life, an assurance may I just say that I never got. Then yesterday when I've finally given up and have put him out of my mind and heart he comes at me with I'm sorry, I want to work on it….Meredith who has put her life on hold twice…"

Miranda cleared her throat, "Don't talk about Grey to me not now. She was the victim in the beginning granted, she didn't know that McDodo was married but after you introduced yourself she should've backed off completely but she backed off alright and right into the exam room and slept with him. She doesn't get any sympathy from me on that, you have to stay focused now. You are a single mother who is pregnant with her ex-husband's child."

Addison nodded, "Derek worries me Miranda. I'm not going to be okay with him hovering over me."

Miranda shrugged her shoulders, "Then don't tell him."

Addison looked up at her in shock, "Dr. Bailey, are you condoning me keeping the truth from my husband or ex-husband as it were? I'm shocked."

Miranda laughed, "I'm doing no such thing I'm simply assuring that you are protecting yourself first. Get confirmation before you worry yourself into a tizzy about being pregnant and telling Derek."

&&&&&&&&

Meredith woke up alone as she realized that Derek hadn't spent the night. After his confirmation that he was free she asked him if he wanted to spend the night and he had looked at her for a moment with what she could swear was disgust but she shook it off as he pulled her into his arms for a hug and then stated that it had been an emotional day and that he would call her in the morning.

She looked at the time on her clock and swore to herself softly. If she didn't hurry she was going to be late for work.

&&&&&&&&

At the Hospital

"Verified by 3 independent tests, you Dr. Addison Forbes-Montgomery Shepherd are six weeks pregnant."

Addison looked up with tears brimming on the corners of her eyelids, "I always swore that this would be the happiest day of my life and I can't stop thinking about how screwed up it is that I get confirmation that I'm pregnant the day after my divorce is final."

She slid off the table and reached for her blouse as she swiped away tears, "It's not fair you know. This used to be my dream….I mean after everything that happened."

Miranda put a arm on her shoulder and pulled her friend into a hug, "I'm here for you, you know that and not Mark nor McDodo are going to screw this up for you. This is your time to be happy."

&&&&&&&&

Derek had been waiting in the attendings room for the last 30 minutes. He knew that Addison had an early surgery scheduled for this morning and he wanted to ensure that she found out the truth about what happened at the courthouse before her lawyer called her and alerted her that their divorce wasn't finalized.

He had felt bad leading Meredith on last night but until he knew that Addison was okay and that they could continue their relationship as friends he wasn't prepared to sign away his rights to call her his. He was a selfish bastard; he had called himself many other names during the course of the long sleepless night as his mind gave him a full screen version of how he had been treating his spouse for the last 6 months after everything she had been through. The yelling, the blaming, and what he hated himself the most for was the words. All of the hateful words that he had spewed at her in moments of anger that she just took and kept on walking.

"Addi?"

Mark snorted as he pushed the door open, "No it's not Addison although, I can't wait to congratulate her on her newly divorced status. I may even take her out for a drink at lunch just so we can rekindle our friendship."

Derek stood up and looked upon his once time best friend with remorse, "I'm sorry Mark, for not being there for Addison and making you the fall guy."

Mark looked at him in shock, "What the hell are you up to Shepherd? For months you have been swearing up and down that I'm the traitor in this relationship, so now you know the truth and all of a sudden I'm your friend again?"

Derek sat down, "Look, what happened is in the past and I don't condone it or even forgive you for it but I get it now. I get why you protected Addison, someone had to….I just wish I had been a better man, a better husband for her and I had been the one doing the protecting and not putting it on you."

Mark sat down, "Do you know how many times when you were married, I used to pray you would say this and not to me because frankly I could care less about what you feel about me…..I was always waiting for you to come to your senses and realize that you were screwing over Addison Forbes Montgomery….the fantasy of every guy in Med school and your wife. She was yours and no one could've taken that away from you. It's just too late now man…she's given you the divorce, she's going to start over and I just wished you had the wake up call before it was too late. I'm an SOB and I'll admit it to anyone but I never wanted to see someone hurt the way you hurt her. Just leave her be, live your life with Meredith and don't make the same mistakes you did with Addison."

&&&&&&&&

"Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd?"

Addison kept walking as she realized that she wouldn't hear anyone call her that anymore. She turned on her heel and was met face to face with Meredith Grey. "Dr. Grey, how can I help you?"

Meredith came up to her intimidated by the woman who was put together in front of her, "I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I know your divorce was finalized last night and I just wanted you to know that even though I may have benefited from your divorce, I'm not pleased about the way things ended."

Addison felt the urge to slap her but held herself in tact, "Dr. Grey, my divorce or lack thereof had nothing to do with you, it started years ago with Derek not caring, not trying and I'm not going to go into this any further with you because I have a surgery scheduled. I just hope for your sake that you never find out what it feels like to be abandoned by Derek Shepherd because then I will be the one apologizing to you."

&&&&&&&&

Mark came up behind her and cleared his throat. "You know you really need to change your cologne I could smell you from feet away. What do you want, Dr. Sloan?"

Mark suppressed the impulse to wrap her in his arms; he knew this was an Addison on the edge. The one she put on for the world so that no-one could see how torn apart she was inside. He had once told her that she missed her calling, she should've been an actress no one could put on a show better than she could. "I just wanted to know how you were feeling. Last night, your divorce became final and I was upset to see that my cell phone didn't have any messages from you nor missed calls."

Addison turned around, "What you were expecting another booty call? I've apologized for making you feel that you have a chance with me but what am I talking about anyway the gossip around the hospital is that you hooked up with a doctor from Ortho last night."

Mark flinched visibly and swore under his breath, "I told Callie…"

Addison held up her hand, "In defense of Dr. Torres there was nothing for you to say. You went to the common bar in town and Joe knows everyone and everyone knows Joe and you and Dr. Torres aren't exactly people that are inconspicuous. A janitor tells a resident who tells a surgeon who spreads it around the hospital…Anyway it doesn't matter to me, I have no hold over you and you are free to do whatever you want."

Mark put a hand on her shoulder and said, "What if I told you that the only thing I dream about is you wanting to put an hold on me. I want you to want me but I see that it will never happen."

Addison removed his arm from her shoulder, "I know what this is about Mark. You think I'm going to self destruct and you want to ensure that you are there to catch me when I fall right? It's not going to happen, I admit I had a moment of weakness for which I dragged you right back into the middle of my mess which is the last place you deserve to be. Please let me just be, I need to be on my own for awhile. Enjoy your fling, romance or whatever with Dr. Torres but don't hurt her. She doesn't deserve that, no one does."

Mark nodded and decided to change the subject before he got too depressed about the subject matter, "I saw Derek this morning he's been looking for you."

Addison nodded, "Why do you think I'm hiding out here when my surgery was complete hours ago? What does he want?"

Mark looked down and swore, "You, he wants you. This is the Derek I always promised you would one day return when I would comfort you when he would leave you alone. He realizes the things he's done, he's spoken and he wants forgiveness."

Addison smiled softly, "The day after the divorce he wants to mend fences? I think I'll stay where I am for awhile it's safer that way, I don't know what I would say to him if I saw him right now. If Miranda or Richard come looking for me, please tell them I'm out here and I just needed a couple of moments to regroup."

&&&&&&&&

"Derek?"

Derek spun around on his foot as he heard Meredith call out to him, he walked over to her. "Can I help you Dr. Grey?"

Meredith squeezed his shoulders in excitement, "What are your plans for tonight? I was thinking we could go to Joe's and then head back to my place, we really didn't get a chance to….."

Derek cut her off in the middle of her ramblings, "I'm on call for the rest of the week, and I had to help out with some surgeries now that Preston's still out. I'll probably won't get home until late…We should shoot for something next week."

Meredith tried to stifle a sigh of exasperation but nodded, "I spoke to Addison this morning."

Derek's eyes lit up at this, "You saw Addison when, where?"

Meredith flinched at the amount of excitement she saw in his eyes at the mere mention of his ex-wife when moments before she was expecting the same kind of excitement when he realized they were free to enjoy their relationship in public. "She was on the way to her surgery; I apologized to her for my part in hurting her."

Derek looked at her shocked, "You apologized, what did she tell you when you said that?"

Meredith shrugged, "That was the weird part, she just told me that she hoped that one day she wouldn't be the one apologizing to me."

&&&&&&&&

Addison walked up to Miranda holding her pager, "Dr. Bailey, I was in the middle of a consult with an intern before surgery did you need me for something important?"

Miranda looked at her friend, "I thought you would want to see these test results the minute they came in. They were in addition to the ones we did this morning, I want to run a full battery of tests but I think you know what they mean."

Addison opened the paper and skimmed briefly over the results and leaned against the counter, "Are we sure about this?"

Miranda nodded, "Since when do I ever page a surgeon during the middle of surgery on a hunch?"

Addison leaned against the counter in resignation, "It's happening again then?"

Miranda crossed her arms, "I'm not sure you ever told me the whole story and I for one as your friend and possible doctor I need to know what happened."

Addison nodded and looked up and pulled her to the side, "I was pregnant before and was diagnosed with SLE lupus. I lost the baby during the middle of a flare up and the doctor was actually pleased about this change in events because he thought my life was in danger if I carried the baby to term. This was the big secret that Mark gave Derek the cliffnotes version of before the divorce proceedings. Derek feels guilty because he wasn't there for me during that whole time. It's true I was abandoned at this point by my husband but I don't feel the need to try to relive the past. If these tests are true…."

Miranda looked at her and said, "Then your doctor might insist that for your health and the health of your baby that you get an abortion before your life is in danger."

Addison flinched at the word, "That is not an option. I will not kill a child just because life may become too difficult for me."

Miranda rolled her eyes, "I swear you suffering types are the worst. We are talking about your life here Addison, not some game. You have to go see a doctor and then talk to Richard. I'm not prepared to sit back and let you die because of stubbornness."

Addison checked her watch, "I'll be back in time to talk to you about this after I finish this surgery."

Miranda shook her head and said, "We are going to deal with this here and now. You need to be under doctor's care, this isn't a game. Have you had any of the symptoms?"

Addison looked away, "I've been feeling more run down than usual and it's been getting harder and harder to get out of bed but I just attributed that to the stress of getting a divorce. I'm not going to focus on this because if I do I'll lose it….I have to go back in and there and save some lives and once I'm finished I will meet with you and discuss our next option."

&&&&&&&&

**Later**

Miranda looked up as a disheveled Derek Shepherd came at her and started speaking, "Where is she? She's obviously been hiding from me all day and I'm not in the mood for any games, I need to see her."

Miranda turned her full Bailey glare on him in disgust, "You just don't come into my area of work barking out orders. You better learn some manners, Dr. Montgomery is currently in surgery and once she's finished in surgery, she has a meeting with me and Richard so whatever it is, it will just have to wait."

Derek grumbled under his breath and started walking away, "Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd."

Miranda cleared her throat and said, "What was that Dr. Shepherd?"

Derek spun around on his feet and met her glare with one of his own, "She's still Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd, she kept the name in the divorce."

Miranda nodded once and turned back to her chart with a smile on her face.

&&&&&&&&

* * *

So that's it for now, I'll probably update on Friday after I've had a chance to review some revisions that I'm making.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Here's the next installation, please let me know your thoughts...and yes we finally see  
Callie briefly but she'll play a bigger part later on...Meanwhile, I'm on page 106 and I'm not seeing  
an end in site for this story but I guess that's a good thing right?

* * *

"Where have you been, I've been looking for you." 

Mark had been looking frantically for Addison after Miranda told him that Derek was on the warpath looking for her. He had almost given up hope until he decided to check out the locker room and thankfully he had found her. He sat down next to her and said, "Are you going to answer me Addison?"

Addison looked up with tears in her eyes, "I'm pregnant and I don't know why I'm telling you this but I wanted you to know. According to my latest blood work, I could be in the middle of a flare up and my life and the child's could be in danger."

Mark closed his eyes, "I'm sorry, I know that's the last thing you should be worrying about…Have you seen Derek, does he know?"

Addison laughed shortly, "I made a life of keeping Derek out of my business today is just another example. He's been looking for me since we started work today and I've been avoiding him since yesterday. What kind of mess am I in Mark? My ex-husband is once again back in my life and I'm…."

She was cut off from finishing her thought by the sound of her cell phone ringing and as she was answering Miranda came into the room followed by Derek on her heels. He lit up at the sight of her but she hadn't noticed him as she was focused on the conversation.

"Yes, Alexandra so is everything in order?"

Addison looked up as Miranda signaled to her but she was in shock, "What do you mean there's a problem? She stared at Derek in shock and pulled the phone away from her ear, "What did you do?"

Mark turned an angry glare on Derek as Callie came into the room. She noticed the tension and started to take her exit when Miranda cleared her throat and said, "This room is suddenly to big, Sloan take Callie out and I'll deal with everything over here."

Mark looked at her in disbelief, "I don't recall asking your opinion."

Callie shook her head in awe, "I can tell your still new here, come on McSteamy I'll treat you to a drink."

Miranda had her hands on her hips as she turned to Mark, "You don't know me yet but you will learn that when I give an order you follow it. Now go, I will handle this trust me no one is hurting anyone here which I know is the contrary of what would happen if you were allowed to stay, go."

Mark left a lingering glance to Addison who was still engrossed in her conversation and said, "Is this really what you want?"

Addison nodded and turned her back to him as she finished up her conversation with Alexandra.

Mark walked out with his arm around Callie's waist as the Shepherds and Miranda prepared for the battle ahead of them.

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

Miranda didn't know if she should be grateful or terrified that the room had been cloaked in silence for the last five minutes. Addison had been focused on breathing in and out, today had been a strenuous day and the last thing she needed was to have a fight with Derek, not when she knew the extent of her illness.

She looked up to see him pacing across the room back and forth glancing over at her every once in awhile and she cleared her throat and asked the question that had been plaguing her since she got the call, "Why?"

Derek turned around and stared at her and walked towards her, Addison flinched back and Miranda shooed him away and directed him to the bench direct in front of her, "Sit there and then talk."

Miranda sat down next to Addison; she didn't want to touch her for fear that Derek would pickup on the need for Addison to have backing. "Addison, a lot of my mistakes were laid out in front of me the past couple of days, I've learned that you have fought single handedly for this marriage since the beginning and I'm feeling guilty. When Mark told me that you had lost our child and were almost killed while I was in surgeries or flying around the world, I felt the bottom fall out of my life. I had always justified my anger in my mind and heart against you claiming that there was nothing that could justify your betrayal but now I find that I wasn't the only one betrayed, I betrayed you as well."

Addison felt the tears in her eyes and started swiping them away in anger; the last thing she wanted to feel at this moment was anger at Derek. "I don't want to revisit every mistake we made in the past; I want to focus on my future which for up until a couple of days ago I was told didn't include you. I get that you're feeling guilty and I have told you that I don't hold any resentment against you; I just want to be free. Why Derek, why did you stop this divorce?"

Derek tried to stand up and come next to her but Miranda shook her head, "Uh uh, you can answer that question from where you were. Go sit down and say what you have to say."

Derek started pacing, "I don't know Addi, that's why I've been trying to find you all day but you've been avoiding me. I need to close this chapter in my life but I can't if my heart feels torn in two."

Addison closed her eyes, "What do I need to do so that you will give me the divorce? What do I need to say?"

Derek sat down, "Up until a couple of days ago, I was prepared to put everything on the line for Meredith but now I can't say the same which leads me to think that I don't love her at all, that she was just an outlet for my anger."

Addison laughed shortly, "What are you saying? That now you've decided you _don't_ love Meredith anymore."

Derek nodded, "That's exactly what I'm saying, when I found out that you lost my child while fighting for your life and after you were completely drained from that physically and emotionally my supposed best friend took advantage of you. He took advantage of that and after I left you, you stayed with him, it fits Addi and that's all I ever needed. It was the release I never got in therapy, I don't hold anger against you, hell I don't even hold it against Mark. I just want to talk and fix this, fix Derek and Addison."

Addison closed her eyes, "Isn't that what were doing? So in other words, I've been under judgment this whole time and it wasn't until you felt satisfied with the answers provided did you decide to stop screwing around with my head and my heart?"

Derek winced, "I'm not proud of what realization, I came to but there it is."

Addison stood up and walked towards the door with Miranda close on her heels, "My lawyer will be contacting you in the morning to discuss a reschedule for the signing of the papers."

Derek swore under his breath, "Didn't you here anything I just said?"

Addison stood with her hand on the doorknob, "I heard every word you just said but that doesn't change the fact that I'm not prepared to give you anymore chances. I let you back in and gave you a chance which you used to pass judgment on my like you were some God, this was my life Derek. Why didn't you ask me or talk about it in therapy? You were the one who admitted that I wasn't there but you still weren't satisfied, it was until I was cut open for you and bleeding that you decided to give me a bandage. Well now, I'm the one who doesn't want to fix Derek and Addison."

Derek looked down and said, "Let's go somewhere and talk about this, not in the middle of this place. We need to leave here so we can discuss this in private please."

Addison had her hand on the doorknob determined to walk away when a thought stopped her movement. She turned around and looked at him in question, "What does Meredith think about this change of events, does she know that you didn't sign the divorce papers? I was under the impression she wasn't because just this morning she was giving me condolences on my marriage and providing me with apologies for her part in hurting me. If you don't love her as you say, what part does she play in all of this? Do you even know?"

Derek shook his head, "She believes that we are divorced, I didn't have it in my heart to tell her the truth until I knew where we stood. I don't want to hurt her unnecessarily, I've don't that to much to you and I'm not prepared to make the same mistakes with her."

Addison nodded, "I can't promise you anything, I won't promise you anything. I'm still broken from you and I need time, just give me time."

Derek smiled softly and walked towards her and said, "I don't deserve even this but thank you Addi, thank you."

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

Addison closed the door behind her as Miranda was cool on her heels, "He didn't sign the divorce papers, my lupus has flared-up and I just found out that I'm pregnant, what more can happen in this day?"

"What the hell is going on here?"

Addison flinched at the anger she heard in Richard's voice and held onto the counter for support. Miranda turned a glaring eye on him and said, "Why don't you talk to your neurosurgeon in there? He seems to be the one who's causing all of these issues."

Richard noticed for the first time the look in Addison's eyes and walked towards her but she held up her hand, "Tomorrow Richard, first thing tomorrow I will schedule a meeting in your office and we can discuss what happened here today but for now I just want to go home and rest, I can't handle too much more."

Miranda put an arm around her shoulder as Richard was walking away and Meredith was coming up on the scene, "What's going on?"

Miranda fixed her with the patent Bailey glare and said, "Grey don't you have patients to attend to?"

Meredith nodded and then Bailey said, "Then I think you should be attending those patients instead of worrying about the ongoing hospital gossip. Go."

Meredith walked away and Addison smiled at her gratefully, "This is turning into a circus. I don't know what to do."

Miranda checked her watch, "First things first, you are leaving that hotel tonight. You can't be that near to either Mark or Derek."

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

"So did you hear about the commotion in the locker room? Supposedly it was the Nazi, McDreamy, McSteamy and Satan behind closed doors. Then from what I hear Torres took out McSteamy and it was just McDreamy and Satan with the Nazi as referee."

George came up on the group, "What was Callie doing with McSteamy?"

Christina slid down from the counter, "George sorry but from what I heard from the gossip mills it sounds as if they were together last night and will be again tonight."

Meredith walked up on the group, "Well that's weird, I thought for sure that McSteamy would hook up with Satan, I mean she's free now right?"

Christina shrugged, "I told you until you saw signed divorce papers you shouldn't trust anything that he says."

Meredith rolled her eyes, "He wouldn't lie to me about this, I'm just curious what they were talking about there in that room, and it was pretty heated from what I heard."  
**  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

Richard looked up as Derek came into his office and closed the door behind him. "Look, I know you're probably wondering why I'm still in the middle of chaos at the hospital but I swear it should be quiet sometime soon."

Richard leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, he signaled to the chair across from him. "Sit."

Derek sat down and looked Richard in the eyes, "I saw an Addison I haven't seen in awhile a broken one. I want to know what you had to do with this if anything. She doesn't deserve to be treated like this as I'm sure you know and since I consider her like one of my children, I'm going to tread where it's not really my business. What happened, why does she look broken?"

Derek nodded and said, "I can't explain any of what Addison is feeling because I don't know, I wish I did. Of course I know that she's hurt as well as she should be but my hands are tied I'm just following your advice."

Richard glared at that one, "My advice? So my advice was for you to divorce your wife and cause chaos in the middle of my hospital all the while chasing the wife you just divorced? I think I would remember telling you to follow that course of action. What is really going on?"

Derek winced at the anger in his mentor's voice and said, "I screwed up big time and I don't know how to fix it. Just call me Selfish Bastard."

Richard sat forward, "I think it's time you tell me the story, the whole story uncut, uncensored truth so I can understand why the hell you are doing this?"

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

Callie grinned as Mark scowled against the back of the booth. "Are you going to tell me what's the matter or do I have to guess?"

Mark leaned forward, "Who does Dr. Bailey think she is? Why did she get in the middle of the fight?"

Callie smiled, "I just let you in on a thing or two about Miranda to what anyone tells you, Richard Webber doesn't run this hospital, Miranda Bailey does and when she gives an order you follow it."

Mark rolled his eyes, "What does she expect me to do? I love Addison and I don't want to see her hurt anymore than she already is by that SOB."

Callie felt the smile fall from her lips, "You know if this wasn't a strictly sexual relationship only I could feel very jealous that you are proclaiming your love for another woman to me." She took a sip of her beer as he studied her from across the table.

Mark leaned forward and said, "So what's your damage? I know why I'm in this relationship, what about you?"

Callie rolled her eyes, "We worked so much better when we didn't discuss our love lives don't you think?"

Mark nodded and said, "I agree, you ready to go?"

Callie nodded, "Let's get out of here."

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

"Miranda, this is not necessary I swear I will be alright by myself, I do alone just fine."

Miranda turned to her as she started throwing her clothes haphazardly into a suitcase. "You are going through too much right now and you don't need anymore stress. Both Mark and Derek know they can reach out and touch you here and that's unacceptable. In order for you to put your thoughts in order you need a neutral location and while Mark might still not be trained on me, Derek knows better than to come within 15 feet of my house or else I'll shoot him on site."

Addison laughed, "Well your right about that, but then I'll look for another hotel or an apartment in the morning, the last thing you need to worry about is me. Look Miranda, I appreciate everything you've done I really do but you have a wife and a husband that need you and you don't need a friend with my type of baggage that I'm bringing to the plate messing up your life."

Miranda sighed exasperated, "Will you get off your pity train? You have so much going for you and you need to focus on your pregnancy and your lupus. The last thing in the world that you need to worry about is what Derek or Mark are feeling."

Addison smiled at her, "You know even when I was in New York, with the exception of a couple of people, I never had a friend like you. Someone who was unconditional and just looking out for me. I really appreciate it but I don't want you to put your life on hold because of me so I'll stay here for tonight and in the morning…."

Miranda rolled her eyes, "You will _not_ be staying here tonight and that's the end of that. Just get over it and get your stuff together. Let's go."

* * *

Let me know your thoughts! Thanks EP 


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Next update and slowly but surely you'll see the ice  
thaw between Addison and Callie..and isn't Derek a jerk? He's  
leading two perfectly nice women on...but I'll work on him later  
for now he still gives me a headache.

**Chapter 4**

* * *

Next Morning 

"Yes, Dr. Revelle I'll be there within the hour, yes no I do appreciate you making room in your schedule for me and I promise I won't take too much of your time."

After hanging up she sat down on the edge of the bed and started reviewing her missed calls, one from Mark and three from Derek and a voicemail. She ignored all of the calls and focused on the day ahead, she had confirmation she was pregnant now it was up to her to put herself under a doctor's care while she was awaiting the return of her backbone to confront the situation in front of her.

Miranda came into the room with a wide awake son on her hip that lit up at the sight of Addison. Addison reached out and held him in her arms tickling his belly and making him laugh. She turned to Miranda with a glow on her face and said, "It's kinda hard to believe that in a couple of months I'm going to have one of these in my life."

Miranda nodded, "That's only if you take care of yourself well. You have to decide what comes first in your life after you take care of the divorce that is if you want a divorce. A child can change a lot of things."

Addison nodded as she shuffled Miranda's son around on her hips, "That's another thing that I'm not looking forward to is the confrontation with Derek. I don't think it's going to be pleasant and especially not after he processes the fact that I'm pregnant, he will never sign those divorce papers now."

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

Derek sat in the hospital cafeteria staring into a cup of coffee as the conversation from Richard ran through his head.

_Flashback _

"So let me get this straight Derek…ever since you dragged Addison back to Seattle it was with one goal? To make her pay for hurting you, there was never a give/take on your part to see what went wrong in the marriage it was only make her pay…In the meantime you dragged Meredith Gray and your ex-best friend into the mix…Not to mention you effectively tried to break Addison. What the hell were you thinking?"

Derek shrugged as the accusations of his mentor slapped him in the face, "I wasn't thinking Richard. That's my issue and I came to that realization after Mark came up to me the day before I was to sign these divorce papers. I was ready to rub it in about him being an adulterous sociopath and he informs me that the reason that he and Addison became lovers had more to do with him taking advantage of her emotional state more than anything. Addison had been diagnosed with SLE lupus and she tried to tell me but I was too busy being in the middle of surgeries and what not so she internalized her feelings. Her emotional and physical pain she didn't tell me about because she knew that I had other goals in mind…so she carried the brunt of her illness by herself."

Richard leaned back, "My god Derek, what are you saying? You're a neurologist but you have to know what type of debilitating disease lupus is, even when it's in remission you have to keep your stress levels down, get your rest and be on constant medication otherwise she could have a flare-up that could be deadly. Her organs could turn on her and she could…."

Derek finished his sentence and thought for him, "She could die. That's the one thought that has been resounding in my head ever since Mark told me and that wasn't even the worst part."

_Richard leaned forward and put his head in his hands, "There's more?" _

_Derek exhaled a deep breath, "She got pregnant you know. She was also in the middle of a flare-up and the doctor told her either have an abortion or she would lose her life. I remember when she called me from her hospital room, she was right in the middle of speaking and I hung up on her after I told her I was getting on a plane. After I got back she had, had a miscarriage and that's when I found her in bed with Mark." _

_Richard closed his eyes in disbelief, "That's a lot to process the day before you sign divorce papers isn't it?" _

_Derek exhaled a short breath, "Why does it seem like you're the only one who gets that? I just want a moment to process what is probably the worst mistake of my life, I judged her without consequence and I'm about to lose the one person in the world who loved me unconditionally." _

_Richard nodded but then paused, "She's tired Derek, if everything that you told me happened in a short period of time, she probably just wants some peace and after everything she's been through don't you think she's deserves it?" _

_End of Flashback _

Derek looked up as Meredith sat in the chair across from him with a grin. "So how was it?"

Derek looked at her confused and said, "How was what?"

Meredith felt her smile falter, "You told me that you were working the late shift, that's why we couldn't…"

Derek winced slightly; he had to keep his lies straight. "Of course I remember, I was just having a moment, I was thinking of a patient that I have to extract a tumor on later today. He came into the ER suffering from migraines…." As he droned on listlessly about a patient that had come into the ER two weeks ago he realized that the love, the passion, the need that he once proclaimed to his wife and the world that he felt for this woman had evolved into what it should've always been friendship. Yes, she called him on his attitudes and she was there as a friend but she wasn't Addi, she could never been Addison and he was starting to realize what a mess he had made of his life.

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

"Where is Addison?"

Miranda spun around on her heel and met Mark Sloan's anxious eyes, "Good morning to you too, Dr. Sloan, it's a pleasure to see you this morning."

Mark stifled the comeback that automatically rose to his lips but then he recalled the words from Callie on last night. Contrary to ever fiber in his being wanting to call Miranda on what he called a deliberate act of insubordination he knew that the higher ups and his new boss wouldn't see it like that, "I'm sorry if I seem abrupt Dr. Bailey, I'm just worried about Addison, where is she? I don't see any surgeries scheduled on the board for her."

Miranda nodded and said, "And you won't she took the morning off, she has an appointment with a Dr. Revelle, he's the leading rheumatologist in his field who specializes in auto-immune diseases. I'm only telling you this because since you know she's pregnant you'll know that would be her first stop."

Mark swore under his breath, "You let her go by herself?"

Miranda smirked, "She's a big girl and she can handle an appointment by herself…I'm starting to get the feeling you don't like how I've befriended your ex-lover, well I'm here to tell you get used to it. After she told me everything she went through at the hands of you and Derek I was in awe of how much she's been able to handle. One thing Addison is not is weak, but she also needs someone behind her telling her to put herself first. You and Derek made it a business to put your wants and needs ahead of hers and I'm here to tell you that, that practice stops here and now. She has to focus on her health and that of her child and the only way she can do that is if the two of you remain on the outskirts of her life. Derek will obviously have a more imposing presence seeing as how she is pregnant with his child but you can walk away. You left everything and came to Seattle to what? Win her back? Don't waste your time, the only person that needs to be trying to win her back is Derek and I don't think Addison is going to make that easy on him either."

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

"Six weeks pregnant, it's official. Would you like me to sign and date it?" Addison traced the outline on the ultrasound that was her baby and shook her head, "Just seeing the picture is enough for me, Dr. Revelle but thanks."

"Now onto the matter of your lupus, the test results definitely show signs of inflammation, if nothing else the stress in your life has to be kept to a minimum. When you were coming in you were telling me that you are going through a divorce, how's that going for you?"

Addison laughed shortly and said, "I'll get back to you when I know if I'm divorced or not, it seems that my husband my have had an apparent change of heart. A change of heart that may result in me staying married."

Dr. Revelle leaned against the counter and said, "You are a smart woman Addison Shepherd, you are one of the leading neonatal surgeons in the country but you are also pregnant and your hormones are running to and fro and the last thing that you need is more stress in your life. Take off a couple of weeks, take off a month but don't let these outside influences be the reason that you can't carry this baby to term and manage your illness at the same time. At one time, it was considered that women with lupus could never carry babies to term but you and I know that is no longer the case."

Addison nodded and said, "Taking all of that into account then, would it be too much to ask for a note from work?"

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

"So Derek, I was thinking George is going to be helping Bailey out in the pit this week and Izzie is spending some time with Denny's parents, we could use this time to be together for awhile, it's something we haven't really done.."

Derek flinched as his realizations hit him in the face, "Meredith, we need to talk. I need to tell you what's been going on with me lately and I'm afraid…."

Meredith opened her mouth to speak when her pager went off. She winced and looked at the number, "That's Bailey, I gotta go. Can we finish this conversation later?"

Derek nodded, "Of course, go it might be important."

Meredith leaned over and dropped a kiss on his cheek and ran out. Derek shook his head as the realization that he was about to break Meredith again for the second time was about to happen.

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

Addison strolled in the hospital with her note from the doctor in her purse and a mission. She had to go see Richard first things and then find Derek. She owed him an explanation and they needed to decide what their next course of action would be.

"Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd?"

Addison spun around and was met by the smile of Callie. "Dr. Torres can I help you?"

Callie nodded and she fell into step with Addison and said, "I just wanted to ask you about Mark. I'm sure you know like all the gossip mills that I'm in a kinda relationship with Mark Sloan and I need to ask you a couple of questions."

Addison nodded, "Don't worry; I'm not trying to steal Mark from you. He's my friend, he's been one of the best friends I had when I was going through a rough time but that's all I feel for him. I wasn't always a good person when it came to Mark and he deserved better than how I treated him."

Callie smiled softly, "You know it's funny that you say that because that's exactly what he told me about you. He says he's still in love with you and although I'm not looking for a serious relationship at the moment I don't want…."

Addison stopped her mid sentence, "What you are saying Dr. Torres is that you don't want to get hurt…No one does believe me on that and I'm not one to offer you any advice on that but I do know that Mark has a lot of growing up to do. He has a good heart but he's been self-centered his whole life and that's not something you can easily get over. If you truly think that the relationship could go somewhere than I advise you buckle your seatbelt it's going to be a bumpy ride."

Callie laughed, "Quoting Bette Davis are you? I could really become friends with you."

Addison grinned right back and said, "Join the club; I do have a prerequisite the name Meredith Grey can't be mentioned in my presence. It might seem a little extreme…"

Callie smirked, "I think I've seen enough of Meredith Grey to last me for a lifetime so I don't think that's going to be a problem."

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

Miranda stared at the chart in front of her as the words began to blur together. Derek came alongside her and yawned, "I was just called out of surgery to assist you with a what?"

Miranda turned around and met him face to face, "You were called out of surgery to deal with me, if you don't leave her alone I'm coming after you. She needs time to heal and just because you've had this giant epiphany that made you realize what kind of an ass you've been for the last couple of months doesn't mean she deserves you hovering. Sign the damn papers."

Derek shook his head and swore, "Look, I don't have time for this, I don't have time to coddle everyone's emotions because you think that what I'm doing is wrong. I screwed up the first time with Addison and I'm not prepared to do it again. It's not fair to either Meredith or myself if I tell her that we can start a relationship when my heart is still tied into to Addison. It's not fair."

Miranda grabbed him by the arm and pushed him into the exam room, "I pushed out a child into this world my son….My son who means the world to me and for once I had to put being a mother in front of everything else….Now this isn't something I was used to, I always was a doctor ahead of a wife, mother everything and it was weird for me to be anything else. I understand you are confused about the conflicting roles in your life but it's not fair to Addison for you to keep changing roles on her, there are men out there who will love her completely and who will give her everything she wants and deserves without all the indecision you bring. Give her now, what you always denied her before, peace."

Derek winced, "Don't you think that visual is what's keeping me from going forward with this divorce? I thought that Addison fell out of love with me and the only thing she did was love more than I ever deserved and now the only thing I want in the world is to make it up to her and I hate the fact that I'm going to hurt Meredith in the meantime. I put her and Addison through too many changes with my indecisions."

Miranda shook her head, "Does Meredith know that you didn't sign the divorce papers?"

Derek negated the question with a shake of his head, "I couldn't tell her yet, I didn't want to hurt her. She gave up the chance to be in a healthy relationship to follow after me and I just don't want to lead her on anymore than I already have. I'm looking in a mirror as a man and for the first time in awhile I don't like what I see, Miranda. I've never been one to wonder what _I_ was doing wrong and that's what I'm up against now."

Miranda watched as the man leaned against the table obviously having a hard time struggling with what was going on through his mind. "Derek, I don't want to yell at you anymore because I get that you've had enough of that in these days I just want you to remember something, Addison is fragile. She's fought for you for so long and for so hard and she doesn't know when to give up even when you are hurting her so give her peace let her be. If you want her back fine, but leave her alone for now. Let her come to you."

Derek looked at the seriousness in her tone, "Is she having a flare-up? Is this why she's avoiding me and why are you are doing your best job of protecting Addison who I was sure up until a while ago didn't need a protector, but in the last couple of days you've become her personal champion."

Miranda smiled at this, "I'm glad someone finally sees that she obviously needs a personal champion, she's getting torn in two with the two of you. You on one hand finally realized what you had all along and enough with the games it's hit you but you have to let her go, Mark on the other hand just wants her. He wants her happy, laughing and safe. She deserves so much more than this."

Derek shook his head, "I'm a selfish bastard, but after hearing anything I realized that I wasn't wrong to make the decision to make her my wife, I was wrong for being a person she couldn't trust. She needs me now more than ever if she's sick and I for one am not going to waste this one chance to show her how good we can still be together."

He walked to the door and Miranda spoke up from behind him, "If you are this bent on going forward with your idea to win her back, don't string Meredith along anymore, it's not fair to her or Addison whose trying to put you behind her."

* * *

Let me know your thoughts 


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Chapter 5 for those who asked. Thanks for all of the replies, it helps me  
write! Let me know your thoughts :)

**Chapter 5**

* * *

"Here I am Richard; you don't need to worry about sending out the dogs for me." 

Richard watched as the woman he considered as a daughter shuffled in to the seat across from him and for once he noticed how strong yet how fragile she looked at the same time. She had fought for so long in her life.

"Addison, what are you doing?"

Addison leaned forward and handed him the piece of paper, "This is my doctor's note. It states that I'm under a doctor's care for my lupus as well as an obstetrician's care for my impending pregnancy."

Richard crossed his arms, "You're pregnant?"

Addison nodded, "You're the first I've told, outside of Miranda and Mark that is both of which stumbled onto the situation. I have to tell Derek, I know that but with everything going on between the two of us I'm not sure how to proceed. I want to tell him but I'm afraid that will make him take unnecessary measures."

Richard leaned forward, "Like what?"

Addison rolled her eyes, "Like halt the divorce? He's already done that, I'm saying Derek is essentially a good guy but he's just been given a slap in the face that his priorities were screwed up. I'm probably more of an obligation to him now than I ever was, so I don't want him to _sacrifice _himself for my sake and that of our child it's not fair to either one of us. I know I've made my fair share of mistakes but I'd like to believe that my child and I deserve better than a husband/father who's absent in heart and mind. I've been there and it hurt too much when I lost it all."

Richard nodded in understanding, "What if Derek just came to the realization that he's made a mess of things and wants a chance to fix everything he's screwed up? What if he realizes all this time he's been fooling himself…"

Addison shook her head, "He wasn't fooling himself when he said that he fell in love with her. He told me that you know, I fell in love with Meredith Grey. I just can't do it anymore Richard, I won't….He needs to let me go so I can bring this child into the world without the stress of wondering if he's going to leave me again or find the nearest exam room and…."

Richard looked at her interested but she shook her head, "I want you to talk to Derek before you make any drastic decisions."

Addison laughed to herself, "Talk is all I've been doing for the last couple of months but from the way it sounds, I've been have one-sided conversations. Well no more Richard, I gave him my all and he didn't want it…He laughed in my face and allowed his suppositions about what was the hardest time in my life to be the stick by which he measured me by and I just won't go through it again. Not when my life and that of my child is at stake."

Richard nodded and said, "Okay, okay I get it…I won't push any further, is this note all you came to tell me? Do you need anything else?"

Addison nodded, "I need a couple of days off, if there's any emergencies you can reach me by pager or call Miranda she seems to be the one with the way to contact me the quickest lately. I need time to put my affairs in order, I have to look for a place to live because if nothing else once I tell Derek that I'm pregnant he will want access to his child which I won't deny. I also need to meet with my rheumatologist again to discuss if I need to remain on the medications I'm currently on. He's asked me to see how long I can go without some of the drugs and we will begin working me off of all of them if my body can live without him."

Richard smiled at her softly, "Call Adele one of those days that you're off and let her mother you. You need it and Adele would love to do it, I'm currently on her bad list but that doesn't mean she still doesn't love you with same intensity as before."

Addison smiled gratefully and got out of the chair, "Richard you'll never know what it means to have your support during this time. I really need it."

Richard took her into a hug and kissed her on the forehead, "Be safe and take care of my grandchild."

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

Derek sat across from Meredith with a look of fear. He had felt better after his talk with Miranda but he was still fearful of hurting Meredith.

But as Derek looked into her eyes, he realized that he had never been surer of anything in his life. What he felt for Meredith wasn't the forever love type and the type he had to want her to be his wife. He didn't know how she would take it and he was worried she would self-destruct again.

Meredith on the other hand had been a sense of emotional heartbreak on the horizon as soon as she heard the foreboding, "We need to talk."

Meredith decided to cut him off at the pass, "Be honest with me, what's going on? You have been acting all mysterious since you signed the divorce papers, actually it was before that it had something to do with the fact that you and Sloan almost got into a knock-down drag out fight after the two of you talked, what did he say to you?"

Derek nodded he was glad she had given him a way into discuss what was on his mind, "Mark told me the truth of how the _affair _between Mark and Addison started."

Meredith leaned forward in confusion, "There was an affair? I thought it was only that one night, but anyway what does it matter? You are divorced now so there's no reason for you to still focus on it….Are you grieving?"

Derek nodded, "I'm grieving the loss of myself Meredith and I apologize if what I'm about to say is cruel but I'm also grieving the loss of Addison. I still love her and I don't…"

Meredith shook her head as if to try to deny the words he just spoke, "You came to me and told me that you chose wrong. You told me that you loved me and that we were going to be together and now you've discovered this love for Addison that wasn't there before, what the hell kind of game are you playing here Derek?"

Derek winced at the rage in her voice, "You have every reason to be angry and I don't blame you for hating me right now, I'm hating myself at the moment but I can't change how I feel. I've done you wrong and I'm tired of continuing to hurt you, I need to talk to Addison and I want to get her forgiveness."

Meredith rolled her eyes, "You want the forgiveness of the woman that you divorced? What sense does that make Derek? If she isn't even yours anymore why do you care for the reasons that she had to cheat on you, here I am who has never stopped loving you and you are constantly putting me on the backburner each chance you get to run after her. I'm tired of it Derek, make up your mind right now. Is it me or her?"

Derek closed his eyes at the sight of her face as he opened his eyes again with tears in his eyes, "I choose for Addison, I'm sorry Meredith."

Meredith swore as the tears were running down her cheeks, "Make this the last time we speak Dr. Shepherd. Unless its work I don't want to see or hear your voice, Finn warned me, Cristina warned me hell even Addison apologized to me but I couldn't see past your McDreamy smile to the truth of their words. You have a lot of growing up to do before you'll be worthy of anyone."

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

Callie leaned against the counter as Mark was finishing another surgery and crossed her arms, "Are we on for tonight or what? I'm in the middle of checking up on a knee replacement surgery but then we can go that is if you're up to it."

Mark smiled at her, "I want to check on Addison first if you don't mind." He expected to hear a whine or exasperated sigh but when she nodded while keeping the smile on her lips he had to admit he was impressed.

"I think I saw her coming out of Richard's office, I had to consult with him on a case that we were handling."

Mark nodded while pulling off his mask and George came up behind them, "Callie, can we speak?"

Callie turned a disinterested eye on George, "Dr. O'Malley how may I help you?"

Mark smiled and touched her shoulder before leaving, "I will catch up with you after I talk to Addison."

Callie smiled in agreement when George turned to her, "I can't believe you. You know what that guy did to the Shepherd's marriage and you have the nerve to talk to him…"

Callie crossed her arms in disbelief, "Last I heard it takes two to tango but what does it matter anyway? Your good friend Meredith was busy screwing Derek Shepherd in the exam room the night of the prom. Look George, I don't want to get into a fight with you why don't you just tell me what you want?"

George reached out a hand to touch her shoulder, "I miss you and it took you not being there for it to hit me that you were the constant in my life…."

Cristina came up behind him and slapped him on the back and said, "911 page from Grey, we got to go."

Callie smirked as George started to follow and then turned back to Callie, "We'll talk later."

Callie shrugged her shoulders, "Why bother? You are obviously more preoccupied with the other women in your life that have nothing to do with me than talking with me about whatever was once so important. Let it go George, I know I have."

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

Miranda smiled at the look of joy on Addison's face as she showed her the ultrasound picture from this morning.

"The doctor told me that the drugs that I take currently shouldn't affect my pregnancy but I wanted to be sure so I did some checking and everything seems to be in order. Anyway, I just wanted to come by and tell you thanks for all of your help, I'll be taking some time off to adjust to my impending motherhood, possibility of a divorce and where I stand if anywhere with Derek."

Miranda nodded, "You don't have to thank me for anything." They both looked up when they heard a crash and a scream. Miranda looked at Addison as they started towards the commotion. George and Cristina were trying to restrain a hysterical Meredith Grey.

"This is all your fault." The finger was pointed directly at Addison who looked at George and Cristina in confusion.

Addison stepped back in shock and then smirked, "Contrary to whatever Derek has told you or how many times he called me Satan is not really my name and therefore I can't be blamed for your issues Dr. Grey."

Meredith stood up and struggled from the hold that George and Cristina had over her, "It was always you, first it was 11 years of you being his family he couldn't get over and then he comes and tells me that he made a mistake and that he still loves me and that I was the one he should've chosen and I was ecstatic because I thought we would finally be together but no, now he's back to saying he still loves you and that he should've never divorced you."

Addison heard the anguish in Meredith's voice and winced, "I'm sorry Meredith, I really am but I can't be held responsible for Derek's indecisions."

Meredith jerked out of George's hold, "Of course you can't be held responsible, and you're always innocent in everything. You cheat on your husband, your innocent sleeping with Mark who is your husband's best friend and all the meanwhile you still somehow remain innocent and me they portray as the Adulterous whore."

Miranda snapped Meredith's arm to her, "I've had about enough of you Grey, we get that your angry, we get that your hurt but you will not mess up my hospital with your soap opera dramatics."

Meredith laughed tonelessly, "But that's what Dr. Montgomery is infamous for, she was always causing scenes."

Addison closed her eyes and touched Miranda on the shoulder, "I'm out of here I don't have to hear this."

Meredith started out of Miranda's grasp and reached for Addison and said "We are not finished here."

Mark came up behind Meredith and removed her hand from touching Addison, "I beg to differ dirty mistress you are more than done here." He shuffled her out of the room with George and Cristina on his heels.

Addison placed a hand on her heart and leaned against the counter as Derek came running on the scene. He looked at her in concern as she swayed and then placed a shaky hand on the counter.

"Are you okay?" Derek smiled at her disconcertedly at the sight of her unsteadily holding on to the counter.

Addison leaned forward at his worried smile to speak when the events of the last hours overloaded on her and she pitched forward and vomited on his shoes. Derek grimaced but then reached up to hold her steady and then without warning she became a dead weight in his hands as she fainted in his arms.

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

"Sit."

Mark shoved a cup of black coffee under her nose as her friends hovered worried outside the door where Mark told him that they were to stay until he cleared them to come in.

"So dirty mistress, you want to tell me what that scene was all about?"

Meredith winced as she sipped the cup of coffee, "Did I make a sufficient fool of myself in front of the hospital staff? I went to get a drink at lunch and I guess it turned into two and then five…I wasn't going to operate on a patient, I just wanted…"

Mark shook his head, "I'm not the one you need to worry about, and I just want to know what happened."

Meredith shook her head, "Derek broke up with me, he said he was still in love with Addison and I took it too hard. I had broken up with the one good guy in my life for him and was chasing after an impossible dream and he let me. I guess, it just got to me that after all this time he still has the ability to break me, it pissed me off… and then there she was so perfect, so put together as if nothing had happened."

Mark exhaled softly and shook his head, "That son of a bitch did it anyway didn't he? I warned him to leave her alone but he wouldn't listen. He had to try again."

Meredith sat up, "Wait you know what this is all about?"

Mark nodded, "Listen, Addison isn't to blame for this Derek is."

Meredith closed her eyes as she sipped the coffee, "Don't you think I know that? Don't you think I know that she's been a victim of Derek's just as much as I was? I just don't know how to channel my anger properly."

Mark smiled softly, "Well then your going to need to take a deep breath for what I'm about to tell you. I don't feel like I'm breaking a confidence here because this is something that can't be hidden and pretty soon you are going to be a witness to it as well."

Meredith rolled her eyes as she sipped her coffee and said, "Derek broke up with me because he still loves his divorced ex-wife Addison. What can be worse that that?"

Mark grimaced and said, "The fact that she's not his ex?"

Meredith gaped at him in shock and then closed her mouth, "It makes sense now. I was wondering what they were yelling about in the locker room because it sounded pretty heated but I never guessed…What happened?"

Mark sat down and scowled as he said, "He didn't sign the divorce papers. When Derek came looking for her in the locker room it was to tell her that he hadn't signed the divorce papers and that he wanted a second chance, it coincidentally happened to be the same time that Addison was finding out from her lawyer that the divorce papers couldn't be filed."

Meredith closed her eyes in anger and spoke tonelessly, "He did it again. He made me believe that I was important to him and that I had a place in his life. A place that he had tried to fill with his wife but found she was even lacking against me or so he said. But now, you tell me that he couldn't even sign the divorce papers because he's an….."

Mark interrupted her and said, "He's an ass. And it doesn't excuse him but I'm actually glad that he didn't sign the divorce papers and you will be too once you find out what I'm about to tell you. Addison is pregnant with Derek's baby Meredith and that's something that you and I as dirty mistresses can't fight against. We need to accept defeat."

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

Miranda was working busily over Addison while Derek leaned against the door frantic with worry. Miranda turned back to him with a laugh, "You might want to change your clothes it doesn't bode well for the chief of neurosurgery to be wearing vomit on his scrubs. Plus, I can smell you all the way from over here and you are nothing close to your McDreamy nickname, more like McStinky."

Derek rolled his eyes at her, "My wife is currently passed out and you seem fairly tranquil about that fact. She passed out Miranda, if I hadn't been there…."

Miranda smirked, "If you hadn't been there, I would've picked her up from the floor and carried her into the next exam room until the dizziness passed and checked her sugar levels. She's probably weak from all the _stress _she's been under lately. Hint as to who I blame for that fact."

Derek winced, "If you were going for subtlety then you definitely lost that contest. What am I supposed to do? Go change my scrubs and pretend like nothing happened? Like this explosion isn't my fault."

Miranda nodded, "That's exactly what I want you to do, and I'll call you when there's a change in her condition. You don't do her any good by hovering over her bed until she wakes up."

Derek nodded as he realized fighting with Miranda would be useless and shuffled out of the room. Miranda locked the door behind her and leaned against the door, "Okay Addison, he's gone."

Addison cracked an eye open at her and said "How did you know I was faking? I thought I was doing a good job of being the sleeping damsel in all of this while you beat my husband up, which I really liked by the way."

Miranda rolled her neck, "I have a husband and a son at home that I need to be with and I don't have time to worry about you, so when he comes back in here you are going to talk with him. You are going to tell him how hurt you were that he didn't try and work it out, you are going to tell him how badly you want this marriage to work and how excited you are that you are carrying his child. You will also tell him that you are in the middle of a flare-up from your disease so he can't be wishy-washy with what he wants in regards to you. Stand up for yourself, I once told you that no man not Derek or Mark can define you, you are Addison Forbes-Montgomery and you need to start acting like it."

Addison felt the tears come to her eyes as she held out her hand, "Thanks for the pep talk Miranda I needed it. I feel so weak when I'm next to him so thanks for beating me up, I needed it."

Miranda nodded and then pulled back and spoke gruffly, "Now I have to go beat up the interns who dared to get drunk on my watch."

As she was leaving Mark was coming in the door but Miranda held his arm, "She's resting, come back later."

Mark shrugged off her arm, "I just wanted to say goodnight, I'm leaving with Callie but if she's sleeping…"

Miranda nodded and opened up the door to see Addison playing the part of sleeping beauty to a T. She let Mark see her who came in the room and left a chaste kiss on her forehead and then left the room following Miranda.  
**  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

Let me know your thoughts and if you can't tell by now, I love the Bailey/Addison friendship and just wished they would've explored it more on the show! I'm working towards bringing Callie into the mix but she's still a little gunshy about men after George and Mark is so damned sexy, she's not thinking straight at the moment, but I promise that she'll be along soon..:)


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: So it is hard to start writing this story after I wrote 2 one-shot's...That's right, Thin Love  
has a sequel which hit an inbox recently so keep an eye out on that one and let me know  
what you think of this one!

Also as promised more Callie in this chapter even if it's only with Mark, I had to setup their relationship  
before I threw her into the friendhip that is Addison/Bailey.

Thanks:)

**Chapter 6**

* * *

After Mark left the room, she slid off the side of the bed and reached for her clothes and started to get ready to quietly leave the hospital unnoticed, she hoped by Derek especially. The door to her room opened and Meredith leaned against the doorjamb. 

Addison gave her an eyebrow, "Was there something you needed Dr. Grey?"

Meredith nodded, "I owe you an apology, I should've learned when I was younger to make a distinction on whom and how I lay the blame on…You aren't the right person to deal with all of my anger and I'm sorry. I just wanted you to know that."

She turned to leave with the room when Addison called out, "Wait Meredith. Come in, I don't blame you anymore; it's not worth it. I'm struggling with one day at a time, but please know that you weren't the only one hurt in all of this, I'm here crying inside and I don't want you to think that it was Derek and I joining forces to hurt you, I don't operate that way."

Meredith pushed herself away from the door, "That's what sucks the most in this entire situation, I wanted to hate you. I tried to hate you; Derek would've had me believe that you were Satan for betraying him, but I found out he wasn't completely innocent. He was also guilty and to more of a degree than you ever could be. I feel naïve and I feel used and I hate feeling this way."

Addison cleared her throat, "I'm pregnant Meredith and I'm not telling you to rub this in but to let you know that even if I don't get back with Derek, we will always be tied to each to other through this child. I haven't even told Derek yet, and I don't know why I'm telling you but I just thought you should know because I get that you are trying to heal and it's not going to be easy to heal if I'm here rubbing it in your face. Just know that I'm not doing this on purpose."

Meredith nodded as she felt the tears come to her eyes, "Mark told me that you were pregnant but I want you to know how much it means to me that you feel okay with telling me and don't worry, after everything McDreamy has put me through, the last thing I want is to see his face."

Addison smiled, "I may not take him back you know, that is a possibility a very big one considering that I'm pregnant but I don't want to him to be with just because of our child and I'm probably giving you too much information in light of everything that's happened today. I'll shut up. You don't want to hear about how my thought processes and how they affect your possible love life."

Meredith smiled, "God why are you so nice? Why are you treating me like I'm not the one of the woman who put your life in chaos?

Addison grinned softly as she placed a hand on her stomach, "It probably has to do with the fact that we were in chaos before you came to the picture, you just helped define the players in this storm that was our life, I just wish you and Mark weren't blown up in our mess."

Meredith shrugged, "When I slept with your husband after you guys decided that you wanted to try your marriage I willingly threw myself into this storm of a marriage that you guys were in…. from the way it sounds though, you don't want out anytime soon. Are you thinking about staying with him?"

Addison shrugged, "I'm thinking about one day at a time, one crisis at a time for today all I can handle is dealing with the fact that my husband hurt you after I told him not to specifically hurt you again. I can't deal with his proclamations of love at the moment."

Meredith nodded, "I understand and for what it's worth Derek, will be over the moon about the child and the fact that you are carrying it. I can't forgive him, I can't even look at him but I want you to know that I hope everything works out for you and your child."

Addison held out a hand and said, "Thanks for your wishes Dr. Grey. You'll be in my thoughts."

Meredith took the hand begrudgingly and said, "Thank you Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd it's been a pleasure talking with you."

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

"So tell me, what plans do you have for tonight?"

Callie stirred her finger in her wine glass as she looked at the menu and Mark met her eyes with an interested eyebrow rise of his own, "I thought you would be too busy sulking about Addison being pregnant that you wouldn't want to do anything, do you feel better about her all of a sudden?"

Mark shrugged his shoulders, "Whether I like it or not Derek is going to be in her life for a long time coming. I don't have the option of choosing who the father of her child is anymore than she does."

Callie decided on her dinner and closed her menu and sat it on top of her plate, "We spoke this morning Addison and I. I see why you fell for her, she's a class act."

Mark smiled and leaned over, "Are you deliberately trying to turn me on in the restaurant by telling me you see something in my ex?"

Callie rolled her eyes, "Everything about you screams sexual but I get that you have reservations as well…I hope we can be friends as well as lovers."

Mark shrugged, "The last time I was friends first I ended up causing the end of a marriage."

Callie laughed as she sipped her wine, "I don't think the marriage is over but that's between the two of them. So answer me one last question and I will put this to rest and you won't have to hear me ask about this again..."

Mark leaned back intrigued as he too sipped his wine, "I'm intrigued, ask me your question."

Callie looked him in the eyes and said, "Do you wish that Addison's child was yours?"

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

Addison sat in the hospital cafeteria poking at her roasted chicken and vegetables uninterested and focusing on her conversation with Meredith. For all the hate that she once had for the woman who she swore was the reason that her marriage was over as looked at her a couple of moments ago, once again broken by Derek the only emotion that she had felt for her was empathy. How could it be possible that one guy had the ability to make women around him ready to fight over him when he was as wishy-washy with his feelings as women were stereotyped as being? She was focusing on her next move when it came to Derek when Derek came up behind her. He kissed her on top of the head then took the chair in front of her and sat down. Addison inhaled softly as she tried to focus on sticking to her guns and not falling under the pull of his McDreamy smile.

"I returned to your room after I changed my scrubs and you weren't there, I was worried. Are you feeling better?"

Addison nodded and said, "I am feeling better but I spoke to Meredith, you hurt her again Derek. I thought I told you to make sure you didn't hurt her, since you've done enough of that already don't you think? After everything the only thing you could try to do would be not hurt anymore women but you still managed to break Meredith…"

Derek shrugged, "It was inevitable, I needed to be honest with her and not lead her on anymore than I already have but I didn't come here to talk about her, I just wanted to see you. What happened today Addison, is it the lupus?"

Addison felt tears come to her eyes at the concern she heard in his voice, "I didn't mean to scare you it was a long day. I had a doctor's appointment, a meeting with Richard and then that confrontation with Meredith."

Derek interrupted her ramblings with a touch of his hand, "I know that you've had a difficult couple of days partly because of me which is why I'm here, what's going on that you aren't telling me? I'm worried about you Addison and ever since I told you of my decision to halt the divorce until we talked you've been avoiding me. I'm not perfect and what I did at the prom was inexcusable but I need you to give us a chance, hell we may not work it out but at least we will both be giving 100 this time."

Addison smiled as she listened to his speech, "You broke me just like you did Meredith but apart of everything that you did, and I can't and won't lie and tell you that I don't still love you, because I do. And with everything that's going on, I think it would be remiss of me if I didn't consider this as another opportunity for us. But if I give you this chance, does that mean you'll back off, that although we will be trying you'll still give me the space I need? I'm not going to pretend to tell you that it's going to be easy, I'm still very hurt about everything that happened between us but I think, no I know we deserve to give this marriage a shot."

Derek shot her a grin full of promise as he leaned forward and brushed his lips against her outstretched hand, "That's all I ask, although I may be the worse judge of how to be a husband and a friend I want you to know that I'm willing to still try as long as you're by my side."

Addison nodded and then pulled her hand away, Derek tried to hide the flicker of hurt that came across his face at the thought that she didn't want his touch but he squelched that thought instead focusing on what he could do to change which was the look of fear that was in her eyes when she looked at him. She reached into her purse and said, "This was actually supposed be a surprise that I was planning on giving you after the prom but as you and I both know things didn't really turn out the way that I planned so I was unable to give it to you. And then coming on the heels of you sleeping with Meredith, asking for a divorce I couldn't find a good time to sit down with you and tell you this news. And then after you not signing divorce papers there just wasn't a good time…"

Derek flinched as the thought of Addison's face ran through his mind, "I will always apologize to you for what I put you through this last couple of months." He opened the envelope and looked at the picture in shock and disbelief. He felt the tears come to his eyes, "Is this picture what I think it is?"

Addison nodded as she was moved by the look of joy on his face, "That is baby Montgomery-Shepherd, taken this morning. According to my rheumatologist who is also an OB/Gyn the baby and I are doing well. He did recommend because he was concerned about my blood pressure and the inflammation in my joints that I take a couple of days off so when I got back to the hospital today I spoke with Richard about taking a couple days of leave to regroup. I have to look for a place to live since the hotel is only transitory until I find a place for both myself and the baby."

Derek traced the outline of the fetus on the picture. When he heard that last sentence he looked up however and met her eyes with a questioning look, "What do you mean until you find a place for yourself and the baby? Your place and the place of our child are with me always."

Addison smiled sweetly, "Derek, I'm _not _moving back into that trailer, I'm not and especially now that I'm expecting your child, it's just not happening."

Derek rolled his eyes, "Of course I know that, I meant we can look for a house together. It'll have to have at least 3 bedrooms because I don't plan on our child growing up as an only child and we will need at least 2 more for our study. I'll get on the phone with my realtor and we can decide how and when we want to look for houses."

Addison listened as Derek discussed plans for their future and was moved to think that just a couple of hours ago she was preparing herself for life as a single parent. Hearing that Derek was so enthused about the upcoming birth of their child had her hormones in a flurry, so much so that she promptly burst into tears.

Derek stood up frantic and pulled her in his arms, which was no easy task seeing as how they were currently in the hospital cafeteria and the chairs weren't exactly deluxe and accommodating for husbands who were trying to cradle their pregnant, sobbing wives in their arms. He started stroking her back until the tears calmed down and he focused on finding the issue.

"Addi, I'm kinda lost here. What happened? What did I say?"

Addison swore to herself, "It's these damn hormones. You were talking about the future and how many children we were going to have and how many bedrooms we needed and I just remembered the Derek I fell in love with. The Derek, who in med school promised me that we would always be together and never apart and the one that I never stopped loving even though I swore that he stopped loving me. It just reminded me of better times and I guess I got a little nostalgic and then that made me cry…I'm sorry."

Derek started to wipe the tears that had fallen from her eyelids away and brushed the hair out of her face and leaned in to kiss her when Addison jolted up. She scrambled out of his lap and into the seat across from him. "Derek, I really don't think we are at that point do you?"

Derek blinked his eyes out of the sexual haze he had fallen into so quickly at the thought of her his arms, kissing her and loving her and he nodded, "You're right, I apologize. I sometimes forget what its like to be with you. This constant need, desire to be inside of you, forgive me for rushing you. Anyway, the only thing we can agree on is that for now we are _definitely_ holding off on the divorce correct?"

Addison nodded and reached for her cell phone, "I call Alexandra right now and let her know that we won't need to reschedule a date for the signing of the papers as we are going to try to reconcile."

Derek smiled pleased that she had at least agreed to that and said, "You've barely touched your dinner, is there something wrong with it?"

Addison shrugged as she held the cell phone away from her ear and said, "Your baby had a taste for Chinese but the doctor says I should eat more protein."

Derek stood up to go get a to-go box and said, "Why don't you let me box this for later and I will take you out to the Chinese place that's close to the hospital and you can have protein and Chinese?"

Addison nodded as she pressed send, "It's a deal."

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

"Interesting question, I'm curious though before I answer why that question? Does it change our relationship for the good or bad depending on what I say?"

Callie shrugged, "Let's just call it a fact finding mission. I've been with guys who are too hung up on their exes or their _girlfriends _to give me the proper time. I know we aren't in a relationship but I still like to know where I'm heading even if we don't necessarily have a future together."

Mark nodded pleased with her explanation and said, "No, I don't wish the child was mine."

Callie nodded as cut up her chicken fettuccine and spooned some onto her fork and chewed thoughtfully. She sipped wine and Mark stared at her, "Does that surprise you?"

Callie laughed, "Does it surprise you that the answer to that question is no? I'm just pleased that you were honest with me and yourself. Sometimes guys in the middle of feeling things for lack of a better word confuse it with commitment, I was just curious if those feelings of yours were real for Addison and you just confirmed that they weren't."

Mark squinted at her in disbelief, "I've been in love with Addison Montgomery-Shepherd for the last two years of my life, and I think I would know if I loved her. How does saying that I don't wish the child she was carrying was mine change the fact that I love her?"

Callie put up her hands in surrender, "The answer to that question I posed you says a lot. You want to be with Addison but not for the long run. Addison as I'm sure you know is the type of person who needs one guy who will love her completely and selflessly and will devote himself to her and their family and you aren't that guy. You would get jealous of any kid she would have because you would think it would take away time from her loving you."

Mark sat back in his chair and said, "You claim to know me so well, what if I tell you that the dreams you had with George were just that a pipe dream. George was never going to give up being in the lap of 3 gorgeous women for one, one of the three who he's already slept with."

Callie smirked, "When you get mad, you get defensive and lash out. It would be cute if I wasn't already learning you. Don't worry Mark; your secret is safe with me."

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

Meredith sat on the couch with a beer and George on one side and Cristina on the other side. "He broke me again guys."

George pulled her into his arms, "It'll be okay Meredith, you survived once and you'll survive again."

Meredith shook her head, "I didn't survive that's the point George. I was just living from day to day with this cloud of McDreamy hanging over my head and I didn't know what to think or how to act so I decided to self destruct instead."

Cristina sighed from the other side of her, "I just wonder what Addison is going to do with McSteamy and McDreamy after her."

Meredith whined in disbelief, "We are supposed to be talking about my issues not Addison's."

George looked at her in shock, "When did she become Addison and not Satan?"

Meredith sighed and said, "Since I realized that it was me who was the interloper and not her. She's pregnant you guys, and she's going to give Derek a child. A child, who with its birth, will bind the two of them together forever whether they are apart or together. I can't compete with that, I don't even want to try."

Cristina slapped her on the leg and said, "Come on enough moping around the house, we are going to Joe's to pick you out a hot guy that's not McDreamy or McSteamy."

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

"She'll have an iced tea with three lemons on the side and honey if you have it." Addison smiled as the waiter looked at her for confirmation and she nodded.

"Very well, I'll be back with your drinks and to take your order."

As the waiter shuffled away Derek turned to her in disbelief, "He didn't believe me, I guess he thought I was making it up. I just happen to know what my wife likes."

Addison smiled softly, "It's nice, this is nice I mean. You and I talking just the two of us like we are connecting again, I missed that."

Derek nodded, "I promise we will never get that far apart again."

Addison smiled softly, "I hope so. So, tell me about this place that you brought me to for dinner. In all my scouts out, I don't think I've discovered this little niche."

Derek grinned, "This is the elitist of all Chinese restaurants I'll have you know Dr. Shepherd, it comes highly recommended from the wait staff on the Neuro wing. They swear by their wonton soup."

Addison smiled back, "Then I'll have to thank them if I like the food."

Derek grinned, "Of course you will thank them, three days from now after you get some rest, I have a call in to Richard and hopefully he'll let me take off those three days with you."

Addison's smile faltered as she dropped the menu she was perusing, "Derek, I want to be alone those three days, I thought you knew that. We can obviously spend time together but I need time to recoup and gather my thoughts, I thought we were clear on that point."  
**

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Review please:) 


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Here's another update, please let me know your thoughts!

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Mark slid out of the side of the bed and reached for his pants and started to fasten them. With his back to Callie he could hear her moving around on the bed and when the sheet was removed from under him he did glance back only to see her wrapped in the sheet and heading into the bathroom and closing the door. 

Mark didn't want to admit that it hurt, it hurt that he was playing the game of being the one that was pulling away and Callie was seeing through his mess and trumping him with one better, indifference.

Mark cleared his throat, "Callie?"

The door opened to the bathroom but the only signal that she had heard him was a grunt coming from her. He started towards the bathroom but then changed his mind, "I'm going to head back to my room it's getting late."

He braced himself for the whining and the begging but it didn't happen just a simple okay as she came out of the bathroom dressed in bras and panties. He would never admit it to anyone but himself but he had gotten bored of the stick figure women that defined in society what the standard of beautiful was. The moment that he saw her with her healthy cheeks, bright eyes and smiling face he had been enchanted and he was having a hard time pulling away.

Callie met his eyes with a question, "Was there something else you needed Mark?"

Mark shrugged, "What are your plans? I'm just curious as I don't know what you think about anything. You've been quiet since dinner."

Callie sat on the edge of the bed and motioned for him to sit next to her, "I just got out of a bad relationship, you are trying to decide what your feelings are for the woman who you claim is the love of your life. There are too many things up in the air for us to make a decision. Your first course of action should be finding out what it is you want, we can continue to sleep together and even be cordial at the hospital but I need to start pulling back…"

Mark looked at her in shock, "Pull back why? I don't understand."

Callie laughed shortly, "You just told me tonight that you were in love with Addison and that she was the love of your life, you came home and made love to me as if nothing happened."

Mark nodded in understanding, "What are you going to do in the meantime?"

Callie smiled, "I'm going to find an apartment, and this hotel as you know was never a permanent thing but now that I'm getting back on my feet, I need to expand my wings and look for someplace to live."

She leaned over and brushed a soft kiss over his lips, "Be well Mark, I hope you can be with all of your emotions running around."

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

Derek had been noticeably quiet since the appetizers were left on the plates in front of them. Addison for her part was determined to ignore his bad mood and instead enjoy the food.

"Am I the only one salivating at the smell of these pan-fried wontons?"

When Derek didn't answer Addison picked up her fork and spooned two on her plate along with the sauce that was on the plate. She picked up her knife and fork and after cutting a portion started chewing.

As she was moaning in ecstasy, she noticed a change in Derek's mood. He started fidgeting in his chair, "Are you going to tell me what's wrong with you now or do I have to guess?"

Derek met her eyes, "Why don't you want to spend this time off with me?"

Addison put down her fork, "A week ago you slept with Meredith at the prom, you left her panties in your suit jacket for me to find whether it was intentional or not. You then tell me that you want a divorce but you don't tell me directly you run to Meredith first to let her know that you made the wrong choice in deciding to be with your wife. All of these things were difficult for me to take; I spent many a day crying in the supply closet. But then suddenly Mark, the guy I _cheated_ with comes to you with the _whole _story and you've suddenly decided to do a 360 on me. I'm now the love of your life again, everything you had with Meredith was a mistake and you are just trying to get back on your feet. In the meantime, I have a lupus flare-up and find out I'm pregnant. See how inevitably you are at the center of all these things that are happening to me and how it would be possible that I would need a breather?"

Derek felt ashamed and looked down, "Don't you see why this is the reason that I want to spend this time with you? To make up for the mistakes of the past and I can't do that if we are apart. I need to demonstrate to you how repentant I am and I can't do that without you by my side."

Addison rolled her eyes, "The only way I can even fathom beginning to forgive you is if I'm apart from you. You have this pull over me where I can't think straight and I won't deny that for years it kept me in the dark about the fact that you too were imperfect. Whenever I'm with you I only focus on my defects and my insecurities, maybe that's why I was such an easy target for Mark, I don't know. What I do know is that my heart is not ready to let you back in and you need to respect that, do you understand? You did a good job of pushing me out on all your own."

Derek crossed his arms, "So what do I do? Sit here and wait for you to realize that I'm a big screw-up and you should've never agreed to give me another chance?"

Addison turned her attention back to her food, "I'm not going to discuss this with you. Not when you're like this, turning all of on your own anger on me. It's not healthy for you or me to fight this out in the middle of dinner; if you like we can continue this conversation somewhere else."

Derek leaned forward and angrily speared a wonton onto his fork and began chewing. As he rewound the tape of his past sins against his wife he cursed himself for being so selfish. Of course she would need time away from him, he sometimes needed time away from himself, he looked at her and spoke thoughtfully, "You're right, I'm a jerk and I haven't been thinking about you. I realize that my mistakes have cost you more than once so this guy the one you see in front of you? He is going to learn the art of patience even if it costs him some time."

Addison smiled gratefully, "I got a call from Miranda warning me to not fall under the trap of your smile so soon, she warned me I had to make you pay before I took you back and that it should take awhile."

Derek laughed shortly, "She sure knows how to make enemies with the men in your life, doesn't she?"

Addison shook her head as she reached for the last wonton and the plate and began to devour it hungrily, "She makes the best of friends, and protectors as they go, I don't know what I would've done without her these last couple of days. She's been my rock and tomorrow I can move out of her house and into the apartment of my choice."

Derek raised an eyebrow at that, "I thought you were still at the hotel."

Addison laughed, "No Miranda told me that I would be too close to people mainly men who were turning my life upside down. You and Mark she meant."

Derek grimaced at that, "Is Mark still bothering you? I thought he said he was dating the ortho surgeon, Torres is it?"

Addison shrugged, "His idea of dating as you know is a no-strings sexual relationship and I don't think that's what Callie had in store when she met him. Speaking of Callie, we have plans to meet tomorrow to shop for apartments."

Derek leaned forward, "I still don't like the fact that he's hanging around, I will always be grateful to him for getting my head out of my butt but I don't appreciate the fact that for his guilt that I almost didn't have a chance to make up for my error."

Addison started to respond but decided better against the fact and to keep her mouth shut as the food arrived.  
**  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

Meredith heard the phone ring and yelled to George to get it but she didn't hear a response. She swore he must be sleep so she reached for the phone.

"Hello?"

"Meredith, this is Dr. Webber I wanted if I could have a few minutes of your time."

Meredith swore to herself, "Look Dr. Webber, I know what you're going to say and I do apologize for the scandal I caused in the hospital today, in my defense…."

Richard cut her off, "In your defense, you were in love. You were in love and you didn't fully understand the risks of hurting innocent people right?"

Meredith closed her eyes and resisted the urge to snap, "I guess you do know all about that don't you. I'm sorry I don't have any right to yell at you, this is my issue and I will deal with it."

Richard smiled to himself, "There are a lot of qualities that I see in you I see that were in your mother. She was a wonderful woman and I couldn't hurt her the way that Derek is doing with you. Meredith, I'm sure you don't want to hear this but Derek comes with a lot of baggage, baggage that he had before he knew you. Baggage that he doesn't know how to handle properly; it's the disadvantage of being blinded by a beautiful woman with a listening ear."

Meredith felt tears come to her eyes, "I don't know how I'm supposed to go on from here. I was so invested in everything Derek for so long that now that he's not here I don't know how to move forward in my life without him. What do I say when I see him in the hospital? In the hallways? When he's smiling with joy at the sight of his wife and their baby?"

Richard closed his eyes as he listened to the halting emotion in her voice, "Meredith, this is and never was supposed to be easy. Growing up and moving on isn't easy but I promise you it gets better and someday in the future you will be able to look up and it will hurt a little less and you will smile at something one day that a couple of weeks ago would still make you cry. You learn to deal and this coming from the person who caused your mother so much hurt in the past may seem like a joke but it's the truth. You will get over this because you are better than letting heartbreak stop you from living your life."

Meredith started to cry softly as she said, "Thank you." She hung up the phone and curled into a ball in the middle of her sofa and let the trauma of the last couple of hours wash over her and she sobbed herself to sleep.

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

It was late when Addison got back to Miranda's house. She slipped in the back to her guestroom and sat down on the bed remembering the rest of the conversation that she had with Derek after dinner.

_Flashback _

Derek sat across the table staring at his wife in the moonlight and felt internal anger at himself for the sins he had committed against her, "I'm so sorry Addi."

_Addison looked at him in question, "What are you sorry for?" _

Derek leaned forward and took her hand, "I took you for granted when I should've been taking the time to cherish the woman I had by my side. I let my career become first and foremost in my life and didn't pay attention to the woman who was falling apart at my side."

_Addison let his hand go, "I don't want to revisit the past not tonight, not when everything has been going so well for us. Let's talk about this subject another time." _

Derek nodded, "I just don't want you to ever forget that the mistakes of the past have and are helping me grow. I don't want you to ever feel that you can't call me or come to me about anything; I'm here for you always. Even though I never gave you the proper respect or place in my life, I'm determined to rectify my errors. I'm trying Addi for real this time, I don't want you to forget that."

_End of Flashback _

Addison reached for her cell phone and dialed the number she knew by heart, she felt her heart skip a beat as she waited for the voicemail to pick up. She was actually hoping the voicemail would pick up so she could pour out the thoughts of her heart without anyone on the line.

She was startled when she received a "Yea."

Addison felt the blush come to her face and she chided herself for the feeling of being like a teenager and nervous like she was talking to her first boyfriend.

"I just wanted to say thank you for dinner, I had a really nice time."

Derek sat up in bed picturing Addison twirling a piece of hair around her finger, "What's wrong? Can't sleep Addi?"

Addison leaned back on the bed with the cell phone clutched in her hand as if was the only link she still had to him, "I forgot how much you know me and how it always used to unnerve me, I miss that feeling. Yea, I just got back to my room and I realized how much I missed you and our trailer and yes that's crazy considering my husband is now officially a flannel-wearing, wood-chopping fisherman but I still love you and I guess what I wanted to say was that I love you and I just wanted to hear your voice and I guess I'm happy we are trying to be married again."

Derek leaned against the pillows in the trailer mesmerized by the sound of her rambling, "I love you too and now the trailer feels lonely without you, I miss your presence, I miss you and I guess I'm sitting here sulking, I came dangerously close to losing you yet and it's not over yet…I'm scared Addi for the first time in a long time in my life, I'm stuck at a crossroads and on one road I could lose you and our baby and the other road I could have what I've, what we've always dreamed of which was a life together. We were that couple that everyone envied and I can't wait to the day until we can be that again but I know I have a lot to repent for before you allow me back into your heart."

Addison felt the tears come to her eyes, "Don't you think I wish that I could be that couple again? We came really close to losing it all and I don't know if I can ever trust you with my heart again and that hurts because you were the only one that I could trust on not to hurt me…."

Derek winced, "And that's the only thing I did. God, I'm so sorry Addi. I want to promise you that it won't ever happen again but I know I'm imperfect and there's gong to be a lot of crying, slamming doors and tears before we are back to where we were before but that's the only thing I'm focusing on at the moment, getting back to where we were. I hate to sound like the cliché from a movie but, failure is not an option."

Addison smiled as she cradled the phone in her hand, "Your child and I are up for the fight…Derek, I…"

Derek listened for a moment but then heard her just breathing, "Don't talk Addison, just let me hear you breath…I know I sound hypocritical but I've been to the edge of losing it all and without you it's scary. It's like trying to walk through a maze blindfolded. You've always told me the truth even when I didn't want to hear it and I'm sorry for not recognizing who and what you are to me before but now that I'm allowed to be in your presence, I promise that we will never get to that place again….Addi, I love you."

Derek was waiting on bated breath for a sound that indicated that she had heard his loving plea and responded in kind but was only meet with the gentle sound of her breathing and occasional snore…. "Sleep Addison and know that I will be with you even though I'm not by your side, watching over you and loving you."

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Review please! 


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Next update, let me know your thoughts...  
:)

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Next Morning

Miranda gently shook her awake as she was coming into her room with Tyler on her hip. She grinned as she sat across from her.

Addison shook her head and reached for the baby. She kissed him on the cheek and said, "You do know that your ability to grin like that is actually becoming unnerving. Stop that. So what do you want to know?"

Miranda rolled her eyes, "I'm taking my child away if you don't tell me how your talk with McDodo went."

Addison grinned shyly, "We went to dinner. It went really well and I'm just disconcerted now. The man I had dinner with last night was the man I married, the loving, caring, and generous guy. I just don't want him to disappear."

Miranda nodded in agreement, "Do you have a reason to believe that he will? Has he acted stupid anymore or is he now McRomantic?"

Addison laughed as Tucker tugged on a piece of her hair. She patted his back and said "After our talk of a couple of weeks ago about how no man could define me I find myself at a loss. Derek wants me to define myself through him again and I don't know if I'm ready to do that…I did it once and when the chips were down he left me and I was so devastated that I looked to Mark, Derek's best friend to define me….I need to learn who Addison Forbes Montgomery is without a guy telling her who she is."

Miranda got up clapping, "Now that sounds more like it….Listen, I'll just take Tucker and we will be…."

Addison put up a hand, "I'm not finished, you've been more than a friend to me and I just want you to know that I'll never forget it. If you need me for anything, delivering your next child or just a girl's night out I'm here…"

Miranda crossed her arms and looked at her distrustfully, "Why do I get the feeling you are about to ask me for another favor?"

Addison nodded happily, "I just wanted to know if I could borrow Tucker for the day…Callie and I are going apartment shopping and I thought I should get used to being around a child since I have one on the way."

Miranda leaned over and brushed a gentle kiss on her son's head, "Sure, Tucker can break you into the wonders of motherhood but I should warn you he's an angel and that's not the mother in me talking. Have fun and try to cheer Callie up, I know she's still feeling down about the breakup with O'Malley. He has a ways to go before he can be good for anyone."

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

Next Morning

Derek was careful as he walked into Seattle Grace. On one hand he was ecstatic that he had another shot of righting the wrongs of his marriage and his wife was pregnant and the other hand he would inevitably come face to face with the woman he pursued weeks before she finally gave him and chose him and he broke her heart.

"It doesn't get any easier, does it?"

Derek spun around on his feet and met Richard's face. He nodded and said, "How do I approach this? I don't want to hurt Meredith anymore than I already have. She didn't deserve how I treated her and I don't have anything to say in my defense, I was wrong and I hurt a lot of people along the way."

Richard shrugged his shoulders, "But at least you are trying to rectify all your mistakes. It's never easier to admit you were walking down the wrong path but now that you know that it was the wrong path, you've made a conscious choice to clear up all your errors. I think that's a step in the right direction."

Derek smiled softly, "Addison is pregnant and Meredith's heart is broken. How can I be so happy about one thing and so devastated about the other thing?"

Richard smiled, "Let's focus on the good thing you and Addison are getting back on track and to seal the deal she's going to make you a father. You need to watch her and don't let her do too much too soon. I was reading up on her disease last night…"

Derek rolled his eyes, "You are ever the proud father/grandfather aren't you? You love Addison and that means a lot to me because she needs people who will protect her, even from me when I get out of hand. I promise you, I won't hurt her."

Richard put his hand on his shoulder, "You better not, I'm watching you and don't worry about Meredith. This whole experience will help her grow up to be a better person."

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& **

"You brought a kid to girl's day out?"

Addison nodded gleefully as she shuffled Tucker on her hip who was still fascinated with her red hair as that was the only thing that she could keep him focused on for long periods of time. Addison sat down at the table and pulled the chair close to her and placed the baby and the baby seat in the chair across from her.

"I need the practice. As I'm sure Mark told you, I'm pregnant and I…."

Addison stopped what she was saying when she noticed the shadow that fell over Callie eyes at the mention of Mark, "I'm sorry did you and Mark have a fight?"

Callie shrugged, "Don't worry, Mark and I don't even have a relationship, so how can we have a fight? I just called him on some stuff and he didn't like it."

Addison leaned forward in disbelief, "You called Mark on his stuff already and you've only known him for three days? Wow, you move fast. He won't know what hit him when he finally realizes that you might be the one."

Callie laughed, "Addison your good people. I'm glad we are spending this time together, as the outcasts of the interns it's about time that you and I forged a friendship."

Addie nodded and held her hand across the table, "We'll be friends together and as soon as we can get Miranda to join us then we'll be a complete unit."

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

"You look like hell." Derek looked up into the eyes of his former best friend and rolled his eyes and focused back on the chart he was looking at as he was enjoying his morning coffee in the cafeteria.

Mark took the chair across from him and said, "Where's Addison? I didn't see her name on the chart for surgeries today."

Derek dropped the chart he was looking at and instead focused on the man in front of him, "We are still married in case you hadn't noticed; she's pregnant with my child. She doesn't need you hovering around waiting to pounce on my first mistake."

Mark grinned slyly, "It won't be long, a leopard can't change his spots overnight and you eventually will go back to ignoring Addison and I'll be waiting."

Derek laughed, "In the whole time you were _with_ Addison, did she once ever tell you that she loved you? In all the times that you were comforting her because I acted like a jerk did she ever say I love you Mark."

Derek had the pleasure of watching Mark's face flush red with anger. "I didn't think so, you see Addison and I are committed to each other and whatever the mistakes of our past were, they are _our_ mistakes to learn from and not my best friend who just wants her to be another bed buddy in his list on the nightstand because with whatever else happened she always, _always_ loved me. Leave my wife alone."

Derek watch as Mark sat back in his chair, "Before this whole thing started, I wanted you to act like this for her. I wanted you to be so jealous of the time that we spent together you would rip her out of my arms and take her back into yours. You never did and now all I want is for you to mean every word you just spat out at me because Addison is the kind of woman that doesn't come along everyday. She deserves so much more than she got in her life with you."

Mark stood up and started to walk out when Derek called him back, "I'm sorry you thought you had a chance with her."

Mark laughed to himself, "That's just the thing; I never thought I had a chance with her. She always told me that her husband was the love of her life."

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

"What do you think of this one?"

Addison leaned against the doorjamb with her head on her chest, "Can we take a break?"

Callie smiled at her exhaustion, "Come on we've only looked at two apartments today. Look, I'll even watch Tyler while you survey this one…I'm looking at this one though seriously it's called Arbor Courts, our next stop is Shangri-La Apartments and for some reason I don't think that will be the cheapest one."

Addison smiled softly at her as she sat in the chair and started to breathe heavily. "Whoa Addison you ok?"

Addison nodded as Callie came up behind her and started to rub her shoulders. Addison flinched at the touch and said, "I'm sorry, it's just my joints are aching. I guess I thought I could handle a day out on the town."

Callie smiled, "You are only a couple of weeks pregnant and already your life is changing. Don't worry if this is just the first step in a lot of concessions you have to make."

Addison smiled at her grateful for her words of encouragement as she looked upon a sleeping Tucker snuggled safely in the carriage. "How am I supposed to keep up with a child when a little change in my schedule debilitates me like this?"

Callie placed an arm around her shoulder as her cell phone went off again for the third time since they started out their journey. Addison turned to Callie in question, "Who is that?"

Callie pressed ignore, "No one, don't worry about it."

Addison laughed, "It must be Mark…What's going on with you two?"

Callie pushed her out of the chair, "If you go check out this apartment, I'll tell you what's going on with Mark."

Addison pushed herself up and started to take the stairs.

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

"So did she say what time she was going to be back? Should I look for her at your house or should I just wait until she calls me?"

Miranda leaned against the counter with an exasperated sigh, "Look McDodo, because you are still McDodo in my book…"

Derek looked affronted and Miranda rolled her eyes, "Just because you've made my friend's eyes light up like they haven't in a long time doesn't absolve you of all guilt where this whole mess is concerned. She's having fun for the first time in awhile and the last thing she needs is an overprotective husband act you suddenly want to adapt here now shoo!"

Derek didn't move and Miranda turned to him in disbelief, "Having a child must've made me soft because I could just swear I gave you an order that you directly disobeyed."

Derek crossed his arms, "It's just that this is my wife we are talking about here, she's pregnant and has an auto-immune disease and I just got her to even admit she wants to try again and I'm afraid if I let her alone for to long she will remember why she's apart from me and by the time the day is over she will still want a divorce."

Miranda laughed at his rationalization, "Don't you think you're overanalyzing the situation just a bit? Addison is not wishy-washy if she says that she's going to give your marriage a try, she's going to give your marriage a try. Just don't expect miracles overnight, I saw one too many nights were she was broken because you always turned to Meredith instead of her, Meredith had always been your priority and it seems like overnight that it's changed. She's still scary and afraid to believe that you could possibly be the guy she fell in love with and now that I'm done breaking a promise by telling you how my friend really feels about the situation, excuse me I have interns to scare."

Derek felt a grin come across his face and said, "For the record Miranda, she is my priority for now and always."

As he watched her walk away Mark came up behind him, "I just hope your promise lasts longer than it did the last time."

Derek turned around and saw Mark leaning against the counter a look of triumph spread across his face. Derek ignored his presence and walked away.  
**  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

Addison felt the lead in her legs as she slowly made her way over to a chair in the leasing office of the last place of apartments they looked at. She and Callie had decided to review all of their options after looking at all of the apartments and then make a decision. So far it was a toss-up between the Harbor Steps, Shangri-La and the Inn Apartments. Addison was leaning towards Shangri-La while Callie was stuck on the Inn apartments.

"Callie, do you think we could wrap it up early?"

Callie turned around ready to protest ending their girl's day out when she looked into Addison's eyes and felt the first stirrings of fear. "Addison, you don't look so good, what's going on is it the baby?"

Addison shook her head, "No, peanut feels fine. It's my joints and my muscle pain; they are just stronger than usual and I'm just having a hard time dealing with my joints without the assistance of my medications."

Callie looked at her in confusion, "Than usual? This is a normal occurrence for you?"

Addison nodded and said, "It was ever since I was diagnosed with SLE Lupus almost a year ago."

Callie swore and got Tyler and helped Addison to the car all the while calling Addison every sort of name.

"Why didn't you tell me that you had this disease? You are supposed to be taking it easy."

Addison nodded, "Well the doctor wanted me to see how far I could go without my regular anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxants and this is the first day that I guess the medicine has really been out of my system and I'm feeling the effects."

Callie rolled her eyes, "Who's your doctor?"

Addison looked at her and said, "Revelle but you don't need to call him. He told me that the moment the pain got unbearable that I could start taking my medication in small doses and give him a call. Look, just take me back to Miranda's house, I have all my drugs there and I can doctor on myself. If I get a couple of hours' rest I'll be good as new."

Callie ignored her as she started dialing the phone, "Yes, I need you to page Dr. Mark Sloan."

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

Meredith leaned against the counter as she was finishing up with the patient in the room and started focusing on writing the notes on her chart.

"Dirty mistress?"

Meredith turned around in disbelief, "McSteamy? What are you doing on my side of the hospital?"

Mark leaned against the counter, "I just finished up a surgery and wanted to see how you were doing plus I'm more likely to run into Derek this way and I get to mess with his mind a little more."

Meredith leaned forward intrigued, "So you are going to mess with his mind, can I get in on that?"

Mark laughed and said, "So tell me really how you are really holding up?"

Meredith turned her attention back to writing on the chart, "Can't you see I'm holding up famously? I'm in the mouth of every gossip-monger in this hospital and all because McDreamy dumped me for his pregnant wife. Then only thing I'm upset about is that once again I'm in the middle of the gossip mill, this time without asking to be."

Mark laughed, "Can you imagine what I went through? I was the one who broke up the couple that was _Derek and Addison_. I couldn't get a place to sit a lunch for weeks and I still swear to this day that the nurse lady put something in my mashed potatoes, I had diarrhea for two weeks afterwards."

Meredith laughed loudly at this and picked up her chart and scurried away as Derek came up behind him.

Mark turned around, "You hurt that girl a lot you know and that's no easy to overcome so if she runs from you for now don't be surprised."

Derek rolled his eyes, "Don't you think I know that? It tears me up inside but better her than Addison and as selfish as that sounds its how I feel. Listen, I need to consult with you about…"

Mark shut down the sentimental part of him and was so engrossed in listening to Derek's case that he didn't realize he was being paged until Derek turned to him, "Aren't you going to get the phone?"

Mark shook his head as he woke up and reached for the phone, "Sloan."

He leaned against the counter as a smile came across his face, "So you finally decided to return my calls."

Derek rolled his eyes and turned to walk away when Mark put a hand on his shoulder. "What did you say? Are you sure, yea he's right here. Listen, we're on our way. Don't do anything until we get there."

Mark hung up the phone and put his hands over his mouth and then breathed deeply as if he were cold, "Look we need to go to Miranda's house."

Derek started to retort that he wouldn't go anywhere with him and then changed his mind, "Is it Addison?"

Mark nodded, "Callie just told me that when her and Addison were apartment shopping they had to go because Addison took a turn for the worse something to do with the lupus."

Derek and Mark started to run to his car while Derek pulled out his cell phone, "Why didn't she just bring Addi to the hospital?"

Mark shrugged, "I don't know but we can ask her when we get there."

* * *

Replies, please! 


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: So on the reviews, I've been getting lately (which by the way I love) they keep asking what is lupus and especially the type that Addison has. The disease is actually very near and dear to my heart because my mother was diagnosed with it...So, I'll put in a hyperlink to where you can go to learn more about the disease...

About the story, I'm having fun writing these characters so let me know what you think of this next installment.

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"I'm fine stop hovering."

Callie shook her head as she leaned on the edge of the bed, "Why didn't you tell me you had lupus? I would've never…."

Addison waved her hand, "That's the reason, I never wanted anyone to treat me any differently they are already treating my pregnancy as a high risk because of my age but now with the lupus they are concerned for my health and that of the baby. I just wanted a day where I felt normal and I gather from today's events that it's not even possible." Addison felt the tears roll down her cheeks and cursed herself silently at her own weakness.

"Lupus is not a sign of weakness if anything it's a sign of strength and to prove that I'm going to tell you something that I haven't told anyone at Seattle Grace."

Addison leaned forward interested, "What is it?"

Callie exhaled a deep breath as she said, "My mother died of complications from lupus."

Addison closed her eyes as empathy for Callie rolled over her, she took her hand. "I'm so sorry, I had no idea."

Callie shrugged, "Why would you? I never really told anybody about what I went through before today. My mother was always the strongest woman I knew and when she was diagnosed with the disease when I was in high school I didn't pay it too much mind, my mother was a strong woman and she wouldn't let some disease get her down so I didn't pay it too much mind. Back then, we didn't know much about auto-immune disease so when my mother complained that she was tired I assumed she wasn't pushing herself hard enough. When she told me that the pain in her joints and muscles were so bad that she couldn't stand the sheets to be on her legs I thought she was exaggerating. When I was just out of high school she was put into the hospital, her organs had turned on herself and as I was leaning over the side of her bed raging against the world I swore that I would find out the cause of her disease and eradicate it from the planet. Well going into college, I learned about what the true meaning of auto-immune was when I realized the extent of suffering she must've been going through. She just did it day by day and when I learned of the meaning of lupus and the hell it put people through, especially women…I don't even want to remember the amount of heartache that I felt at that moment."

Addison had tears running down her face as she listened to Callie's saga and recognized that she had found a kindred soul, "Callie, I just want to let you know that I appreciate you feeling enough confidence to tell me what happened. What happened to your desire to become a researcher and help eradicate the disease that has me down? Lupus research needs more people like you."

Callie exhaled a deep breath as she swiped away the tears that had fallen with the remembrance of her mother and said, "I was gung-ho on lupus research but then I decided to switch majors. I switched majors because I knew that the variables in lupus research were so vast that I didn't think I could find a niche and make a difference. I wanted to be in a field where I could make a difference and in ortho where I am I can always make a difference, whether its seeing a three-year old get a new leg or a young woman get a new leg after it was blown off by a bomb, it helps puts a perspective back into everything. So even though I gave up the idea of lupus research as a career, I still keep updated on what is going in lupus research."

Addison reached for the tissue that Callie handed her and said, "Well you've certainly made me feel better although I must confess that if I'm going to continue to cry like this with these hormones then I may need to buy some stock in Kleenex."

Callie smiled, "So now that we got that out of the way, what did the doctor say?"

Addison shook her head, "Don't worry about that, you still have to tell me what happened with Mark? He was calling you at least three times on your cell phone and you didn't even bother to answer."

Callie smiled, "It's all about taming the tiger. He has never been in a relationship with me so he doesn't know how to act when I turn him in on his own game."

Addison laughed and said, "You are just the person to make Mark into a good man. You can train him and I'm going to help you."

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Cristina came up to the counter, "So did you hear McSteamy and McDreamy left the hospital together and they appeared to be in a big hurry, rumor has it they even rode out of here together."

Meredith raised an eyebrow at this but didn't make any other emotion to the comment. She placed her chart on top of the pile and turned to George, "I'm beat you about ready?"

George shrugged, "I wanted to see if I could talk to Callie before I left for the day. I know she's still hurt about our breakup and I just want her to know that I still have feelings for her."

Cristina winced, "Then I don't think you should hear about the latest in the gossip mills."

George shook her head, "You know that I don't listen to anything that they say besides I refuse to believe that she could be in-involved with Mark Sloan." Meredith laughed at the way George uttered his name as if it were a nasty infection.

Cristina walked over to George, "Listen, I don't know if I should tell you this or not but Sloan has been lighting up Dr. Torres's cell phone. He's left at least three messages for her already."

George shrugged it off and said, "They're just friends, I got to go my locker I'll catch up with you guys."

Cristina tugged Meredith into a hug, "How you holding up?"

Meredith smiled softly, "I'm holding, but I don't know if up is the proper word to describe how I'm doing."

Cristina clucked in sympathy, "George is in denial."

Meredith laughed softly, "Join the club, I live my life in a constant state of denial."

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Callie came out of the room as Mark and Derek were coming up on the driveway. Derek started to run past her when she put a hand on his arm. "Derek, I just got her down for a nap. Her mind was running a mile a minute."

Mark came up next to her and put his arm around her shoulders, "What happened here Callie?"

Callie wanted to turn and allow herself to get lost in his arms but now wasn't the time. She had a new friend who she just found out had an illness like the one that had taken her mother away from her and she needed a moment to process everything before she gave in to her growing feelings for Mark. "We were looking at apartments and Tyler was with us, the baby of Miranda. She wanted to get some practice in, anyway we were doing well but then she was leaning against the door and I asked…."

Callie felt herself choke up as she remembered the look of exhaustion and pain on her face and was instantly wracked with memories of seeing the same look on her mother's face. Mark pulled her into his arms as she shuddered as he started stroking her hair, "It's okay Callie we'll handle it from now on."

Derek nodded and walked past Callie, "Thanks."

Callie pulled herself out of Mark's arms and looked at Derek, "She's sleeping Derek she needs her rest, leave her be for now."

Derek nodded, "I'm not going to disturb her rest, but I need her even if it's only by sight, I need to be in her presence. When I got the call my heart leaped into my throat and I feel like I'm choking, I won't be okay until I see with both of my eyes that she's okay even if she's asleep."

Callie nodded and turned away but Mark pulled her back into his arms and she finally released all of the grief that she had inside of her and started crying.

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In, out, in, out. He was in a trance by watching the simple, rhythmic act of her breathing and the peaceful expression she wore on her face while doing so.

He sat across from her in the chair next to the bed and just watched her. There was nothing else he could do except watch and memorize the rise and fall of her chest. It had only taken a moment for the fear to set in for him to start self-evaluating and he hated when he did that. When he pulled out a ruler and measured himself on the husband stick and the man stick he always failed. Today was another one of those examples, he should've been with Addison, and he should've ensured that she didn't overdo it even if he went against her wishes. Her health and that of their child was the most important thing that he was focusing on.

In, out, in, out.

His mistakes were shouting at him in the face even as he saw a gentler, kinder Mark with Callie. He was finally realizing what he had done to his best friend. He had forced the guy he most trusted into the position of substitute, substitute friend, substitute husband and eventually substitute lover. He had abandoned his wife and his best friend and expected them to continue their loyalty to him while they were struggling to be themselves and get their lives and own issues.

In, out, in, out.

She was gorgeous, she loved him. She was devastated by him, she was hurt by him. How could so many good emotions that he had for his wife get to turned into something where he used her love for him as a weapon. He allowed her blind love of him, help him to destroy her. He had used her and she still came back for more, all because she loved him.

In, out, in, out.

He had no other choice, first thing tomorrow he was finding a house for them to live in. He would make her go to the doctor's office today if possible and he was going with her and then he would take the doctor's advice and use it to help him learn how to take care of the most precious things in his life. His wife and their child.

In, out, in, out.

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Hours Later

Callie sat down at the Chinese restaurant Mark had dragged her to. He had said that Derek and Addison needed time alone. While she was still reluctant to leave her new friend's side she had finally allowed Mark to convince her that she should be absent so that they could talk.

A menu was passed in front of her eyes and she pushed it aside and put her head in her hands.

"Callie, I know you're hungry. Why don't you try to eat something and take your mind off of Addison?"

Callie shook her head, "The last thing I can focus on is food. Addison has lupus and she pushed herself too hard today and I should've seen the signs, I should've known…"

Mark laughed aloud, "What are you a psychic? How could you know about Addison's illness if she's never let anybody in on it, including her husband?"

Callie shook her head in denial, "Don't you see I should've recognized the symptoms. I should've known."

Mark pulled her hand into his and kissed her palm, "You have a wonderful heart Callie and I think it's wonderful that you want to try to shoulder all the blame but it just won't fly with me. You have no responsibility in this, when Addison started to get weak she should've stopped at that moment but she didn't. This is not your fault."

Callie shook her head, "I still should've known Mark, this one hit too close to home. Look, I'm not really hungry; can we get something to go? I want to go back to the hotel."

Mark nodded and signaled for the waiter, "Do you want me to get you anything?"

Callie shrugged her shoulders, "I'll eat whatever you pick. I don't really have an appetite and whatever I eat will taste like cardboard anyway."

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Addison felt consciousness come to her slowly as someone was stroking her hair. The motion was soothing, so much so that she was tempted to fall back under the lull of slumber that she was under but decided to fight against it. She batted away the hand that was at her head and as she reached for the hand she felt someone grip it tightly and hold on.

Her eyes flew open as she looked into the concerned face of Derek, "Hey."

Derek smiled and leaned over and brushed a kiss on her forehead, "Hey you gave me quite a scare there."

Addison tried to sit up but Derek shook his head insistently, "Shh, shh, shh. Lay down you don't need to move just yet. The only thing you need to focus on is resting now besides you know; I could just sit here all day watching you breathe. It's one of the most wondrous things I've ever witnessed."

Addison smiled as she rolled her eyes at his sentiment but let go of the struggle and settled herself back into the bed, "I pushed myself too hard today but it won't happen again."

Derek nodded consolingly as he went back to stroking her hair. "Of course it won't happen again. I won't let it."

Addison's eyebrow flew up at that but she refused to comment anything else and said, "I really scared Callie and I didn't mean to…Did you know that her mother died from complications of lupus?"

Derek put a quieting finger over her mouth, "Hush, just be quiet now. All of those other worries need to go out of your head. You need to focus on your rest. Fortunately, Callie was smart enough to call Mark and myself otherwise I never would've known. I still don't know why she took you back to Miranda's house instead of the hospital."

Addison opened her eyes and smiled softly, "Because I told her I was fine and all I needed was some rest. There isn't anything else that can be done with this disease besides rest and taking care of yourself so that the disease doesn't get out of control."

Derek pulled her hand into his own and started stroking her finger and then he moved onto her ring finger which lay bare and looked up at her in confusion.

"Where's your wedding ring?"

Addison looked down in fear as she closed her eyes, "We were going through so many problems and then you asked for a divorce that I just stopped wearing the rings. I wore them around my neck on a chain." Derek watched as Addison struggled to sit up and then leaned against the headboard as she pulled the chain out that held her rings. She pulled the thin, gold chain out of her blouse and showed him proudly how her sparkling engagement and wedding rang lay close to her heart.

"I always keep my rings with me." As she showed him her rings proudly she then looked down and looked at his ringless hand and closed her eyes as the tears leaked out. She damned the hormones again for feelings she would've been able to suppress otherwise.

Addison slid down under the covers, "So why are you here?"

Derek pulled her hand back into his own, "I was worried about you, isn't that enough?"

Addison smiled and nodded, "Of course it is, but as you see I'm fine so you can go…"

Derek shook his head, "Are you trying to get rid of your husband?"

Addison smirked and then rolled her eyes, "My husband who doesn't wear his wedding rings?"

Derek looked at her in disbelief and Addison looked away, "I'm sorry, I guess I'm just a little on edge, don't worry about it or me, I'll be fine."

Addison looked away and Derek stood up frustrated. He knew that she was still emotionally in a lot of pain but he also knew she needed her rest and he didn't want to get into a discussion about the absence of wedding rings when her health and that of their child was in jeopardy.

He decided to try a different approach which was focus on what he could control and talk about which was her, "I spoke to Dr. Revelle."

Addison turned a disbelieving glare on him, "Why did you call him? I told Callie I was fine and she knew that I didn't need to call him."

Derek crossed his arms, "You are my wife, and you have an auto-immune disease which is compounded by stress. You are also a high-risk pregnancy, come on you are a neonatal specialist you know this routine."

Addison rolled her eyes, "You don't have to remind me of my major all I needed was to rest, the doctor knows that I can't do anything but rest and take my medication. Although, I may still not take my medication seeing as how I can still cope with the pain if I take a nap every once in awhile."

Derek looked at her in disbelief, "What do you mean may not take my medication?"

Addison closed her eyes, "I just needed to rest it doesn't mean I have to start taking all of my medications again. While I can still manage the pain, the only medication I'm taking is the Plaquenil it's the only one I have to take every day and it doesn't affect the baby."

Derek walked closer to the bed and sat down across from her, "When I talked to Revelle he told me that you could go back on all of your medications because you had an episode. You need to take your medicine and I'm not leaving here until you do."

Addison laughed shortly, "What are you going to make me? You must forget who you married, don't let the color fool you I'm just as fiery as the red in my hair and I will defend my child with tooth and nail."

Derek leaned forward and spoke angrily, "You can defend _our_ child with tooth and nail but not from its father and your husband. My priority is the both of you and I don't want this child if it costs me my wife."

* * *

Note: I took a little bit of poetic liberty with Callie's backstory, seeing as how I only started watching GA at the beginning of Season 3 and fell in love with Addek and Callie, I'm not too sure about how far fetched I am. Let me know your thoughts. 


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: So I decided to give you an update a little sooner than I expected. Please let me know your thoughts!

* * *

"Have you heard any news?" Miranda spun around to look at her chief and boss staring at her worriedly with a look of concern.

"What news?"

Richard stopped his look of concern for a moment to adopt a look of disbelief, "You mean Mark and Derek didn't tell you?"

Miranda crossed her arms at the thought of the 2 idiots who were screwing up her friend's life, "Tell me what, why don't you tell me?"

Richard leaned against the counter, "It's Addison, supposedly while she was out she took a turn for the worse and had to come home. Derek called me from his cell phone to tell me that he was on his way to your house to check in on her and if she didn't feel better than he was bringing her to the hospital."

The last words were spoken to the breeze as Miranda had already left the hospital and was running for her car to see about her friend.

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

Addison looked at him as a deadly calm came over her face, "What did you just say to me?"

Derek stared back at her just as calmly and replied without emotion, "What you heard. I don't want this baby if it costs me my wife is that so hard to understand?"

Addison felt the tears coming down her cheeks, "I knew that you didn't want me or my child, why didn't you say so instead of leading me on? I stupidly believed that all those beautiful words and sentiments meant that you wanted my child and me; I should've known that you were just messing with my head again because you do it so well. God, how could I've been so gullible?"

In a fit of fury she ripped the chain from around her neck and threw it back at him, "The divorce is still on, now get out. I don't want anything from a man who doesn't want me or my child."

Derek stared at Addison in disbelief, "How can you not value your life? There is a chance we can still have a child, we can adopt, we can give any child a good home but not at the cost of your life."

Addison started to cry, "I don't want to adopt I want nine months. I want nine months of your child inside of me, nine months of me nurturing the baby that we made out of our love. Nine months of you watching my stomach grow and it doesn't matter what I'm saying anyway, you don't even want this child."

Derek walked to the edge of the bed and pulled her hand to his chest, "I didn't say that, I would never say that. I just am saying that I don't want to lose my wife so just I can gain a child…don't you get how important you are to me? When I wanted us to get back together it was under the assumption it was just the two of us, there were no children involved and I was head over heels about that…."

Addison jerked her hand away, "If you love me you would love my child no matter how he came into the world. Look Derek, why don't you just leave?"

Derek shook his head, "Addi, I'm not leaving you in this state."

Addison started to get out of the bed when Callie and Mark came rushing into the room. At the sight of her new friend, Addison promptly burst into tears. Callie pulled her into her arms while turning a glare on Derek, "What did you do?"

Derek walked towards Addison who flinched away and buried herself even more in Callie's arms, "Make him go away Callie, please. I'm not feeling well and he's…he's just…."

Mark put an arm on Derek's shoulder and said, "Come on man."

Derek jerked away and tried to walk to her and Addison shook her head, "Please just go Derek. I don't want to see you."

Derek bent down and picked up the chain with her rings on it and placed it in his pocket and walked out with Mark cool on his heels. Callie started rocking a sobbing Addison in her arms as the remembrance of their fight ran through her head. Callie was just pleased she had stuck to her idea and forced Mark to come back to the house so she could check on Addison again.

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

Miranda came up to the door, the same time her husband, Tyson was exiting his car. "We just heard, what the hell happened here?"

Mark still was watching Derek closely for any signs that he was going to go back in the house and try to see Addison again but the man in front of him just looked broken. Derek walked up to Miranda as the tears became too much and he started crying.

Miranda who previously had a stance of anger felt her fury melt away as she looked at the obviously broken man standing in front of her. She signaled to her husband and Mark to disappear and then took Derek in her arms.

"Derek, this is unusual for me to see you like this. I'm so disconcerted; I'm not even calling you Mc anything…What's going on?"

Derek pulled away from her arms and showed her the chain that he still had clutched tightly in his palm. "She gave this back to me, she said that she wanted a divorce. She wants a divorce because I'm concerned about the effect this baby can have on her health."

Miranda looked at the chain and smiled softly, "I threw our wedding album at my husband's head the first month after I was pregnant. The hormones got the best of me and that night I burst into tears because I thought I had ruined the memories of probably the best day of my life little did I know that my husband is a great catcher and saved our pictures and his life. Derek, there's a little thing you learn as a doctor especially about pregnant women, they have hormones and even more so when they are excited. Your wife is one of those people, but I think you're making progress."

Derek wiped the tears away from his eyes, "My wife throws her wedding rings at me, she tells me she wants a divorce and you think I'm making progress, how do you figure that?"

Miranda laughed, "You became a husband and a man first and reacted to the hysterical state of your wife. What could've been the old Derek would've brushed this off as hormones from a wife who just found out she's pregnant but Derek the man and the husband first was devastated that his wife couldn't even put words to those thoughts, nevertheless actions. Listen, go home take a bath, hell go out for a drink if you want just calm down and then remember she's pregnant."

Derek rolled his eyes, "Your right Miranda, I'm sorry it's just when she said I want a divorce…I felt a chill inside of me, I felt a fear so great that I didn't know how I was going to be able to go on if everything she was saying to me was the truth and I had lost her for good."

Miranda grinned and said, "Focus on what you do know and that is that your wife loves you and this baby, everything else is just extras."  
**  
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Callie leaned against the doorjamb of the door preventing Mark from seeing into the room. She leaned forward and brushed her lips on his, "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. I'm just going to stay here until I can get Addison back into a state of calmness and see if I can't figure out what started this mess. I would tell you to go talk to Derek but since you guys aren't friends seeing as how you slept with his wife and all why don't you go back to the hotel?"

Mark brushed a nonexistent strand of hair out of her face; he was finding himself suddenly faced with the face that he liked to touch her, it was almost an obsession, if he was close to Callie then he had to be touching her there was no other way. Just to feel the warmth of her on his fingertips it was almost as if it sustained him throughout the day. "Can I see her before I go?"

Callie nodded but then closed the door and turned around to ask Addison who shook her head quickly. Callie peeked her head out, "I'm sorry Mark she doesn't want to see you but don't take it personally. I think at the moment she's down on all men and seeing as you are a card carrying member of that club it won't help you out."

Mark nodded and said, "I just don't want to leave you here, you seemed like you needed to talk at dinner and I was going to do my best to distract you back at the hotel."

Callie leaned up and kissed him softly on the mouth when Mark pulled her to his chest and deepened the kiss she felt her hips shift involuntarily closer to him seeking refuge. She opened her mouth and allowed his tongue entry into the deep recesses of her mouth as she focused on the feelings he was invoking in her just by the simple touch of his lips she realized that she was close to losing herself in him again and had to stop herself.

She broke off slowly and put her head on his chest as her beating heart slowly returned to a normal rhythm. She looked up and kissed him on the cheek, "I will call you later tonight after I get Addison settled and if you still want, I'll come over to the hotel later on."

Mark kissed her back and said, "I want, I really want."

Callie smiled and pulled away as she waved her fingers she closed the door behind her and turned to her new friend who still needed her attention.

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

"You okay Derek?"

Derek leaned against his car in Miranda's driveway as Mark came shuffling out of the house.

Derek looked up and rolled his eyes, "Why do you care? I thought you would be happy that she threw our wedding rings at me."

Mark stopped for a moment but then realized he was right. Addison had made a huge step in the direction that he had always hoped for and instead of being ecstatic about that fact he was nonchalant; it was like it hadn't affected him at all. His only focus from the moment he had gone into the house after checking on Addison was ensuring that Callie was okay. Damn, she was right. He hadn't been in love with Addison after all, if he had this feeling of euphoria that he got when he was with Callie would be what he felt when he was Addison.

Mark swore and closed his eyes as he leaned against the car, "The only thing I've ever wanted was for Addison to be happy. Whether that was with or without you, I didn't care I just wanted her happy."

Derek nodded and said, "Miranda tells me it's just hormones. How can hormones justify asking your husband for a divorce?"

Mark laughed aloud as the tears of laughter started rolling down his face, "Well you've finally done it Derek. You've grown up and become a man who realized that the most important thing in his life was and is his wife. All I can say to you is without a doubt it's about time."

Derek rolled his eyes, "So are you going back to the hospital or are you going to wait for Callie?"

Mark stared at the house where his latest obsession was residing and said, "Callie told me that she was going to stay here until Addison calms down and then she was going to the hotel… I was just, I don't know what I was doing, I just wanted…."

Derek raised an eyebrow at him and stared, "You just wanted to be close to her?"

Mark nodded, "God, why is this so difficult? I always swore that I wouldn't get this way over a woman. And then I thought that the love of my life was my best friend's wife and then one day a pretty young woman with sparkling eyes asked me if I wanted to go with her to her hotel room and as they say the rest is history."

Derek crossed his arms in question, "Do you love her?"

Mark shot back, "Do you love Addison?"

Derek nodded and said, "Of course, now answer my question."

Mark rolled his eyes, "I must admit I didn't expect you to answer my question so quickly. I don't know if I love her, I don't even know that I know what love is, I just know that I get this feeling of euphoria every time I'm with her. I tried to chalk it up to the alcohol but the second night we were together no alcohol was involved and the feeling was the same, she calls me on my crap. Hell she was the one who told me that I wasn't even really in love with Addison just obsessed."

Derek laughed, "Well, I have something else to thank her for."

Mark grinned at that and turned to Derek, "Look Derek, I know, I know we will never be friends again but I want you to know that I'm happy that you and her are back together. It might seem hypocritical hearing that come from me but it's the truth, I'm glad that after everything you've been through at my hands that I'm wishing you well but I am. I'm wishing you well."

Derek looked at him in shock and shook his hand, "I'm sorry that our friendship was ruined and I even though we may never be close again, I still wish you all the best just as long as it's away from my wife."

Mark nodded and got in his car and drove away.

* * *

Thoughts Please. 


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: So let me know your thoughts on this one:)

Yea...I must admit I love hormonal Addison (KW really) I think we all saw the  
humor she was capable of with the poison oak...(Memories...) Cue the violin! Just Kidding, let  
me know your thoughts:)

* * *

**Chapter 11**

"Do you want to talk about it?" Callie stroked Addison's hair as she handed her another tissue which was promptly blown into and then added into another pile which was quickly growing with each new set of tears that came as she tried to explain the fight she had with Derek.

Addison sat up and leaned against the headboard and Callie envied her in that moment. Not because she was crying but because even crying and nose running she was still a beautiful woman and was at once loved and hated by women everywhere because of her beauty which she didn't even acknowledge as a facet of her personality and for that reason alone Callie envied her.

"Derek said that he didn't want the baby."

Callie spoke in sympathy and pulled her into his arms, "I thought Derek was heading down a good path but to say he didn't want the baby is horrible."

Addison pulled back and said, "Oh he didn't say that he didn't want the baby he just told me that he didn't want the child if my life was going to be in danger." She started crying again and as Callie pulled her into her arms again her face showed signs of confusion.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute….Are you saying that he said that he values your life above that of your child?"

Addison nodded and was about to speak when Miranda entered the room and shut the door behind her, "That son of a bitch. How dare he say that he values your life above that of the baby?"

Addison huffed and crossed her arms, "Why do you make it sound like I'm being a crazy person about this?"

Callie laughed and said, "Because you are being crazy."

Addison leaned forward and turned to Miranda, "Do you think I'm crazy?"

Miranda nodded, "Of course I think your crazy but then I was once pregnant and my husband who loves me just as I do him caught the honeymoon photo that I threw at him when he told me he wanted fried instead of roasted chicken for dinner three months into my pregnancy."

Addison exhaled sharply, "That's not the same thing at all he told me that he didn't want this baby if my life was in danger. If he loved me, he would love anything that came from me what is the deal that you guys can't understand that I'm hurt about this?"

Callie took her new friend's hand in her own, "The deal from what I gathered about Derek Shepherd is that, for many years of your marriage he was an ass. He was a self-involved ass and when he was so close to losing you he pulled himself together and learned about the true meaning of love and sacrifice from you. He learned that just the idea of being without you was enough to scare him into not wanting any children if it puts your life in danger."

Addison crossed her arms under her chest and pouted, "When you say it like that, it makes the fight sound petty."

Miranda snorted and she slapped Addison on the thigh, "What you are going to do is to eat ice-cream, watch a good feel good movie and then cry a bunch….After your done you'll call Derek and apologize."

Addison nodded as she reached for another tissue as the sniffles hit her; she blew her nose then looked at her two girlfriends, "Shouldn't I call him before we start having our little slumber party?"

Callie rolled her eyes as she looked at Miranda, "No."

Addison looked at them in shock and Callie giggled, "We have so much to teach you still about learning how to train men…He must be made to wait besides you're the one who is pregnant and will be for nine months now. This is only the beginning."

Miranda nodded in agreement, "Nine months of kicking him out, taking him back and making him pay for even thinking about touching you."

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

Joe looked at the dejected man who just came into the room and sighed in exasperation.

"Dr. Shepherd, what can I do you for?"

Derek started laughing and rolled his eyes, "Scotch on the rocks…" Joe nodded and turned around to make the drink when Derek called him back, "Make it a double."

Joe nodded and turned to make the drink and as he turned around the door opened and Joe groaned. In walked trouble, he set the drink down in front of Derek and signaled behind his head. "Meredith just walked in; she's sitting over there with the other interns if you're interested."

Derek shook his head in negation, "Joe so tell me, why women are so complicated? I mean why do they make things so complicated?"

Richard came up besides him, "Tonic and lemon."

Derek looked at him in disbelief, "What are you doing here?"

Richard smiled, "I wanted to hear the latest about Addison and Miranda's husband told me that you had left the house and were headed home and I took that to mean that you were headed to get plastered and even though I'm an alcoholic and shouldn't be in one of these places, I braved the fear to learn about how my Addi is doing."

Derek rolled his eyes and said, "I don't understand how you can be pregnant and still have the power to cut somebody down so harshly." He emptied his drink in a swallow and reached into his pocket and pulled out the chain he had guarded in his pocket.

He handed the chain to Richard, "She threw this at me when she asked for the divorce."

Richard drained his tonic water and looked at him in shock, "Addison asked you for a divorce, what did you do sleep with Meredith again?"

Derek looked at him crossly, "Was that your idea of a joke?"

Richard nodded and grinned at him, "A very good joke if I do say so myself. No, what really happened, you look like death warmed over. I must say though I'm pretty pleased, Meredith is over there playing pool with her friends and you didn't even glance back once, I guess you are really serious about putting your marriage back together."

Derek nodded, "Of course, I'm serious about putting my marriage back together but I have to admit this whole pregnancy and hormones thing has me going through a loop. I married a sane, gorgeous and intelligent woman. I'm now married to a moody, weepy and sometimes mean woman and it throws me. I may never give her another child."

Richard laughed, "You ever try telling Addison no to anything she wanted?"

Derek closed his eyes as he leaned against the counter. He lifted his head, "I'm dead."

He dropped his head back on the counter as Richard patted him on the back and said, "Yes man, you are but it'll be okay. Come on, I'll take you home."

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
**

Hours Later

Addison had insomnia. Her husband was away from her and she had done the stupidest thing of her life. She had given him the ultimatum so cruelly and now she was stuck with the consequences. In the morning she may have to find herself a divorce lawyer if Derek couldn't find it in his heart to forgive her. Even though, Miranda and Callie swore that it would never come back to this and that Derek and her would be fine. She just wished she could trust the conversation as much as they swore it.

_Flashback _

The laughter of all three women was infectious as they rolled around the floor throwing pillows at each other and popcorn kernels as they watched a good cry movie. Steel Magnolias, Miranda swore it would always be a good tearjerker and even if they needed a laugh they could get one. The next movie she had lined up was Beaches and Addison shook her head and begged for a release, too much drama and emotional turmoil had her depressed, she wanted to watch something funny. So Miranda had snuck out of the room and then took about ten minutes to come back. When she shuffled back in the room, she was handling about three movies and was juggling a pint of ice-cream and three spoons.

_She placed the ice-cream down and turned to Callie and Addison, "I'm sorry I took so long coming here, when I went to the living room my men were sleeping so peacefully, the little one on the big one that I couldn't help but snuggle with them a little bit." _

_Addison and Callie ooh and aahed in agreement as they helped her situate herself with the goodies she had brought. _

_Addison looked at her in concern and said, "I need to call Derek and apologize, don't you think that's right?" _

Callie took the spoon and dipped into the white chocolate raspberry Haagen Daas ice-cream and devoured a spoonful in ecstasy. "Miranda's right, Addison you're in for a long haul and you need all the strength you can get right now. Take a couple of hours and then call him back."

_Addison shrugged, "But I was really mean to him and he might just give up on me and go back to…" _

Callie cut off the dialogue, "Wait a minute, is this about you worrying that Derek wants to keep you healthy over the baby or are you worried that every fight you have will end up with him running back to Meredith's arms?"

_Miranda nodded, "I'm interested to hear the answer to this question as well." _

_Addison leaned forward with her spoon and took a spoonful out and around a mouth full of ice-cream spoke, "Can you blame me for being worried? I've been on the back burner of his life for almost a year now and I don't know if he's still in love with me completely or is just looking for the way for a way out at our first fight. I just don't want to keep my hopes tied up into this guy." _

Miranda shrugged, "You just have to trust him that is if you can."

_Callie nodded, "What good is it if you called off the divorce if you can't remove the image of Meredith with Derek out of your mind or you can't trust him. He has certainly given you reasons to distrust him but if your still married that has to mean something." _

Miranda snorted and said, "It means that she's stupid and still in love. Derek won't cheat on her for awhile now, she's got a good couple of years left out of him before he turns to his old ways."

Addison gasped in horror, "That's not fair, Derek is really trying hard. I've never seen him so attentive, even when we were married in the beginning he never acted like he cared so much. He's really trying and when he came over after my episode, I thought he would start to cry and I…."

_Miranda laughed and clapped her hands together, "I knew it you still love the old dog. Stop whining about Meredith then if you still are so in love with him that you are defending him tooth and nail just remember that, when you want to have a fight about Meredith remember that you just defended him to me." _

Callie nodded and said, "I agree you're still loco for the doctor McPanty."

Addison snorted with laughter as she was trying to drink her juice, "McPanty?"

Callie nodded, "After everything I've seen him do, McPanty is all he's getting from me."

End of Flashback

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& **

"Why the hell did you piss off your wife?"

A drunk, upset Mark stumbled into Derek's trailer. Derek leaned against the door and smirked, "What the hell are you doing here Mark? I thought you went back to the hotel."

He started to close the door in his face when Mark muscled his way in and plopped down at the table, "I asked you a question and I think I deserve an answer, why the hell did you pick now to piss off Addison? I was doing so well coming to Seattle, I was going to win her back but then those plans blew up in my face when she announced to me she was still in love with you. I then meet a girl but then those plans blow up in my face when she became girlfriends with the woman I lost my best friend for. And if that wasn't enough to make you mad, then you go and piss off your wife and ruin my evening. I was supposed to be in bed with Callie now after a nice dinner were we got drunk and stumbled into my bedroom at the hotel. I was supposed to be asleep on her chest now and I'm not and all of this is your fault." He ended his dialogue on a whine as he looked at Derek.

Derek couldn't help it he started to laugh; the truth was hearing this side of Mark made him remember all the times that had gotten plastered in college together. "I think it's about time you go home Mark. As much as I would love to sit here and talk about women with you, I don't like you Mark and if that's wasn't enough I have a busy day tomorrow."

Mark laid his head down on the table and groaned, "Why did you have to piss off Addison, just when I was getting used to sleeping next to Callie you grow and screw that up for me as well? Am I doomed to have my sex life ruined by my ex-best friend my whole life? God, I know I did wrong in this life but it's not fair to pay by taking away my chance to get laid again."

Derek rolled his eyes, "Mark, leave now. I don't like you, I don't want you in my house and actually the thought of the sight of you is enough to make me want to hit you."

Mark leaned his head up and squinted at him through slanted eyes, "Callie and Addison are friends."

Derek folded his arms as he looked at Mark in confusion, "What does that have to do with anything?"

Mark stood up and started pacing, "If Callie and Addison can be friends why can't we? I mean, I slept with both of them and they still talk to each other."

Derek decided he was tired of this game but decided to pull one prank, "Okay let's say your right, does that mean I can sleep with Callie so were all even?"

The next thing Derek knew Mark had grabbed him by the shirt collar and had him in a chokehold, "Go within five feet of her, and I'll beat you. She belongs to me. Got that?"

Having stated his fact he walked out of the trailer and slammed the door behind him. Derek rubbed his neck, shook his head and laughed as he walked back to bed.

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
**Addison sat staring at the cell phone trying to decide what her next move would be. As she stared down at her empty ring finger she ran her hand over where the discoloration was from the sun. She missed her rings, she missed her husband, she missed her dog even though he was gone, and hell she even missed her trailer. She couldn't stand it another moment. She padded out of bed, mindful of Callie who was sleeping peacefully on the floor. She stepped over Callie and walked out of the room.

* * *

End, I wanted Drunk!Mark for a moment, so I hope it wasn't completely OOC but after everything I've seen since  
Season 3 started I don't think Mark can be anymore OOC then what they've written on the show! 

Thoughts Please:)


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Next installment, kinda short but I'm trying to rewrite some more so please  
bear with me! Thanks.

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**

Derek tossed and turned for more than two hours. How was it possible that he couldn't sleep? The two months after he left Addison in New York he had been fine, and it wasn't until he'd had his epiphany and realized what he was about to lose that he came to the realization that he missed sleeping with his wife. He missed her warmth and the way she would wrap her body around his and not leave him any room to breathe. The feeling of being smothered and comforted at the same time was what had him up at 2:00 in the morning. He got up and was about to go over the reports for his surgery in the morning when he heard the jiggling of a lock. Checking his watch he swore, he had hoped Mark had gone home but unfortunately it looked like he was back again. He rolled over and decided he was going to ignore this intrusion. He would be okay as long as the idiot didn't try to get in bed with him that was something that he would pull out a gun for, or at least his fishing rod. The door closed behind him and Derek sat up in bed recognizing that it couldn't possibly be Mark because he didn't have a key. He started to get out of bed when he heard someone yell

"Shoot."

Addison?

What was she doing here, the last he had heard she was supposed to be sleeping safely at Miranda's house or that was at least what Miranda's husband had told him. What did she think she was doing out this late at night? He started to get up and scold her for causing him worry when he remembered the fight they just had. All the men he had spoken to tonight warned him that when your wife is pregnant, all you can ever do is go with the flow. Tucker had offered him some good pointers about how to keep the amount of fights down in the household. Give her whatever she wants. Well that was the advice he was following at the moment. He was going to let her do whatever she wanted and pretend to be asleep and then in the morning he could pray that she would have a better outlook on their marriage.

"Derek?"

Addison tip-toed into the bedroom and she looked upon her sleeping husband. She walked over to his side of the bed and brushed a kiss from her lips onto his cheek by way of her hand. She then started rummaging through his pockets. She just hoped he hadn't gotten rid of them because if he did then they would inevitably have another fight in the morning. When she encountered her rings, she grabbed them close to her chest after kissing them in joy and started out of the room when Derek groaned and rolled over in bed. He was moaning something unintelligible and Addison had to lean closer to hear what was coming out of his mouth. As she leaned down she got a chance to hear what he was whispering. He was whispering her name. Overcome with emotion she leaned down to kiss him on the cheek but then decided to stroke his hair as he had hers this evening and watched pleased as the simple touch of her hand calmed his fears. She sat on the edge of the bed and started stroking his silky, brown hair and watched fascinated as how it fell through her fingertips. They were going to have gorgeous children, long flowing hair and everything if she didn't continue to screw everything up with her hormone tantrums. She yawned as the events of the day caught up with her. She stood up as she realized that she better make it home before her fatigue got the best of her and she would end up sleeping on the edge of the bed. She started to leave the room when she heard Derek whimper. She turned back to the bed in shock as he was searching even in sleep for her hand that had once comforted him only moments before. She crawled into bed with him and started stroking his hair again and Derek through a leg over her and promptly fell back deep asleep. Addison swore softly, she was going to get killed in the morning if she didn't show up at Miranda's house. Leaning her head back on the headboard, she made a silent decision to leave once Derek rolled over back to his side of the bed. Yes, she would just stay here for a couple of minutes and then she would leave. Within five minutes she was soundly asleep in her husband's arms.

Derek waited after ten minutes to verify that his wife was indeed sleep before cracking open an eye in glee. He looked down at her sleeping so soundly in his arms with the chain of her wedding rings clutched tightly in her hands. When he had heard her rifling through his pockets he had been tempted to see what she was looking for so frantically. When he heard her pull out the chain with the wedding rings and engagement rings on it and kiss them softly he felt immense relief as he realized that all the men who had been giving him advice were right and it was just hormones. When he realized she was about to leave again, he decided to play the role of actor and see how she truly felt about being back here with him, so he decided to play possum. When she started to stroke his hair, he knew that she wouldn't be leaving here tonight so he played the guilt card to his advantage. When she crawled in his bed, he felt like laughing but changed his mind as he waited for her to fall asleep. He was a son of a bitch, he knew it he embraced it but he was a son of bitch with his sleeping wife in his arms, where she belonged.

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
**  
Next Morning

Derek was interrupted from the most peaceful dream, with Addison and their kids with pigtails running down the street on their bikes with him and Addison running after them laughing as he heard banging on his trailer door. He sat up quickly as he realized that Addison was still snoozing peacefully. He didn't want to disturb her so he crept quietly out of bed ensuring that she still slept peacefully and ran to the door.

He flung the door open and saw Miranda standing in her robe and slippers tapping her feet while Callie stood behind her yawning. Miranda looked at him up and down and turned to Callie, "Yea she's here."

Callie yawned and nodded her head, "Wonderful coffee ready?"

Derek looked at them in shock, "What are you doing here?"

Miranda walked into the trailer with Callie on her heels and slapped him on the arm, "What kind of fool question is that? Your wife was supposedly under my care and she disappeared and I needed to ensure she was okay. I know she is and that she left my house to go back to her McIdiot, I'm fine, I'm hungry but I'm fine."

Derek closed the door behind him and said, "What is up with all of these aggressive callers, first it was Mark last night talking about Callie."

Callie looked up and spoke a complete sentence for the first time since coming in, "Mark was talking about me?"

She hit Miranda on the arm and smiled, "He was talking about me."

Miranda rolled her eyes, "Wonderful, where's the coffee?"

Derek threw his hands up in the air and started for the coffee maker.

**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&**  
She was going to be murdered; there was no other way for women like her. Women that abandon their friends in the middle of the night to go sleep with her cheating husband who just proclaimed his love for her after finding out the truth of her supposed affair. She was going to be killed because when Miranda found out that she wasn't at the house, she was going to send out a search party. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and reached for one of Derek's sweatshirts out of his drawer. As she pulled the fabric to her face, she inhaled his scent comforted by the familiar smell of his cologne. She slipped into the shirt then went to search through his drawers for a pair of his sweatpants. When she found a pair that was at least three sizes to big she slipped them on and then left the room. She inhaled a deep breath as she realized that this would be the first time that she would be face to face with Derek after their blowup of yesterday. As she walked closer to the kitchen she was shocked to her laughter, women's laughter. She turned the corner to see Derek sitting in between Callie and Miranda beet red with embarrassment.

Callie laughed aloud when she saw her and nodded at Miranda, "You were so right Miranda. I owe you twenty bucks. I'll pay up when we get to the hospital."

Addison turned to Miranda in confusion, "Betting at 7 in the morning?"

Miranda rolled her eyes, "I'm not talking to you. You decided to escape my house at god knows what hour of the night and didn't have the decency to leave a note. I'm not talking to you at the moment."

Addison held up her hands in surrender, "In my defense, it's all Derek's fault."

Miranda smirked, "I had a feeling." She slapped him on the back of the head, "What did I tell you about lying to me?"

Derek stood up and walked over to Addison, "Why did you tell her it was my fault, I had just about convinced her that this was totally your idea. I wasn't the one who snuck in the house at 3 in the morning rifling through my pockets."

Addison opened her mouth in shock, "So you were awake…You were faking?"

Miranda leaned forward interested, "Faking? What was being faked, who was faking?"

Derek shook his head and Callie cleared her throat, "Now that Miranda won the bet, do you think you can finish making our breakfast? I have a hip replacement at 10 and I still need to head back to the hotel and shower and get ready and after looking for your missing wife since 5 in the morning, I'm starving."

Derek smiled at Callie grateful that she had helped keep the focus off of him as Addison sat down. She turned to Callie and Miranda in apology, "I'm sorry, I never meant to scare you guys but after our slumber party last night, I felt horrible for the way I treated Derek and the only thing I wanted was my rings back…Even if I don't get his forgiveness, I didn't want to lose the memories behind the rings."

Miranda threw her a glance of disbelief, "Derek will you please tell your hormonal wife that the last thought on your mind is divorce."

Derek looked up from reading the mix for pancakes, "Divorce is the last thought on my mind."

He looked back at the mix and to the box and then turned to Addison with a puppy dog look, "How about I drive somewhere and pickup breakfast?"  
Callie snorted, "Well Addison, he has one strike against him, the man can't cook."

Derek crossed his arms in front of him, "I'm sorry if I'm not a master chef, I'm too busy saving lives."

Callie stared him down and said, "It's never too late to learn."

Addison was fascinated in the meantime about the bantering between the two women and Derek.

Derek reached for his keys and said, "I'm heading out for breakfast, don't go too far from the phone as I'll be calling for order placement shortly. Any requests?"

Miranda nodded, "Anyplace other than McDonalds. I think we're "Mc-out."

As they started into another fit of laughter, Addison finally felt safe to join in on the humor as Derek kissed her on the head goodbye.

* * *

Let me know your thoughts 


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: So I'm becoming enthralled in another story that I started writing that is Addek using the current situation. It is  
really hard trying to write an Addek story based on current events so I'm making an AU. But back to this story, in this  
chapter Mark does something people won't like but I thought it was necessary for the character's growth so don't give up  
on him. Also Derek, is humble in this chapter and a humble Derek is always good so let me know your thoughts.

Chapter 13

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Mark looked up from his coffee at the woman who had just planted herself down across from him. He cleared his mind as he realized she was the last person he wanted to see at the moment.

"Dr. Grey, how can I help you?"

Meredith smiled at him slyly, "I think I'm the one who can help you. I was wondering if the two dirty mistresses wanted to get together after work for a drink."

Mark automatically opened his mouth to retort a negative answer but then realized that this might be his chance out. He was becoming too emotionally attached to Callie and needed to pull back before he lost his mind and his heart to the pretty Latina woman with a big heart and smile. Maybe a fling with Meredith would be just the thing to prove to himself that he could still keep it strings free with Callie.

"We can go out on one condition."

Meredith leaned forward in her chair intrigued, "I'm listening."

Mark smiled, "That we not mention Derek or Addison Shepherd. I'm getting tired of talking about the latest gossip and I'm sure you're tired as well."

Meredith grinned, "If you hadn't made that concession that would've been my next thought. So I'll see you after work?"

Mark nodded and as she left the chair she leaned over and kissed him softly on the lips. "Hmm, that Mocha cappuccino is good; I'll have to get one."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Addison looked at Miranda and Callie, "Let me apologize again, I hadn't planned on staying all night. I was going to come back but Derek started whimpering my name in his sleep and so then I started…"

Miranda put out her hand to cut her off, "I don't think we want to hear anymore. Just promise me hell promise both of us that the next time you feel the need to sneak out in the middle of the night even if it's to go back to your McIdiot; you will at least leave a freaking note!"

Addison flinched back as said, "Your right, I'm sorry. But enough about me, what was the bet that you guys were laughing about when I came in?"

Callie smirked, "Miranda bet me that she could get Derek to blush the same color red that was in your hair. I stupidly believed that she didn't have that type of power but I was mistaken."

Addison laughed in hysterics and then gasped, "Oh my god what did you tell him…. Hey wait Callie you never told me what happened with Mark."

Callie leaned back in her chair, "Should I tell her Miranda? She did ditch us to go with McPanty."

Miranda shook her head, "I told you last night he was now being dubbed McBraindead…Don't forget it….but you can't keep all of this good info to yourself so spill so we are all on the same page."

Callie smiled, "Mark and I are at a good place now I'm not saying our next stop is the altar but it's definitely at a good place. I'm pretty excited and I think he's starting to come around that we could be more than a no-strings sexual relationship."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Derek kicked the door open as he shuffled with the bags from the drive-through breakfast place he had encountered and entered his trailer.

The women were sitting at the table talking to Addison about gossip and they looked up when he came in and Callie stood up to help him with the bags.

"Thanks Callie, I can see why Mark came over last night and was pouting about you. It was enough for a man to have sympathy even if I still liked the adulterous sociopath."

Callie stopped mid-step to the table and turned around and looked at him in confusion, "Mark Sloan, you're ex best-friend? He was here, I know you said you talked but I thought it was on the phone but he came over here? What's up with that?"

She looked to Addison for guidance but she shrugged her shoulders, "Don't ask me to figure out the inner workings of Mark Sloan's mind."

Derek crossed his arms in pleasure as he heard his wife shrug off the thought of Mark Sloan so nonchalantly, he finally realized that the anger he was holding against Mark was useless if he wasn't in competition with the man for the hand of his wife. "Mark was upset that I pissed off my wife and ruined his booty call."

Addison choked on the juice that she had been sipping at the remembrance of using those same words with Mark a couple of weeks ago and Derek came over and hovered over and helped ease her through her coughing spell.

Callie smirked at him, "Do you think you could be a little less vulgar when talking in front of your wife and unborn child?"

Miranda nodded and scooted Derek out of the way and started rubbing Addison's back.

Miranda glared at him and said, "Now do you really want to tell us why Mark came over here or are you going to blurt out more obscenities at your wife and unborn child?"

Derek leaned over and apologized, "I'm sorry that was inappropriate of me and I do apologize, I was just pissed that I was trying to get some sleep and here comes Mark knocking at the door complaining about my relationship with Addison."

Addison leaned forward, "What was he complaining about?"

Derek smiled and said, "He missed Callie. Our fight ruined his night and he was ticked that I involved _his _Callie in the fight. He said that he should've been sleeping on her chest and instead he was stumbling around drunk with me."

Addison smiled as she looked at Callie, "See, your bringing him around yet."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

An Hour Later

Miranda and Callie had shied off minutes later after they speedily downed their breakfast stating they had to go to work. Derek had disappeared in the bedroom while Addison busied herself cleaning up the kitchen.

She knew that they needed to discuss things and even though Miranda had made Derek state that he didn't want a divorce, she was still frightened. Now that she was remembering what her life was like alongside Derek she didn't want to give up those feelings and those emotions now that she was slowly starting to trust them again.

The door to their bedroom opened and Derek came out dressed in slacks and a tie ready for work. Derek sat down in front of her and exhaled a deep breath. He took her hands and said, "What are your plans for the day? I asked Richard for the day off and he let me have it after I finish the one surgery I have pending but I wanted to check and see if it was okay if I stayed here with you."

Addison nodded, "I would like it if we spent the day together." Addison spoke so softly that Derek had to strain to hear her and as he pulled her closer he noticed how she felt stiff in his arms. He pulled her back and cradled her face in his hands, "Addi, what's wrong?"

She launched herself in his arms and started crying, "Derek, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to fight with you yesterday; the last thing I want is a divorce. If you still want to try for this marriage, I'm still willing but if you think that you need to leave…"

Derek pulled back from her in shock and tried to look into her eyes. She wouldn't meet his eyes so he pulled up her face to meet his and said, "Addison Forbes Montgomery Shepherd now I know I've been an ass to you but I never would never grant you a divorce because of a fight that we had and not especially one when you're pregnant."

Addison nodded as she let the sincerity of his voice cleanse her wounds, "I just know that this reconciliation between us is still new so I don't want to pressure you into believing that you have to be with me…If at anytime you realize that I'm not the one that you want…."

Derek tried to interrupt her but Addison shook her head and placed a finger over his lips, "Just let me finish what I need to say before these damn hormones get a hold of me again and I want to throw something at you. If at anytime during this pregnancy or even after and you feel that I'm not the one, that maybe it was Meredith you were in love with I need you to tell me. I need you to promise that you will tell me, I can't be in this marriage by myself again. It was too hard on me the first time and with a child, I don't want to subject her or him to an absent father or myself to an absent husband. Please, promise me that you will be honest with me at least about this."

Addison had started to openly weep at this time and Derek felt the tears come to his eyes as well. He had never been a man opened to weeping, or crying it always seemed unnecessary to him but hearing the hurt, no shattered woman and realizing that he had helped cause that made him loathe himself even more. He was in effect a SOB, one who didn't stop until he broke the fragile, loving woman in front of him. As he held her and the tears overcame her he started rubbing her back as she finally quieted down.

"Addie, let me say this. I don't deserve you, I never deserved you but if you feel that you need a promise like that before you continue on with our marriage then you have it. I promise that if I ever feel like that I will tell you, however I need the same from you. If another guy comes along, one that I couldn't kill and you still love him let me know and I will _try _to do the noble thing and step aside. I can't promise that it will happen though, because without a doubt you are it for me and just because it took me longer to realize it doesn't make it any less of a fact. I love you Addison Forbes Montgomery Shepherd and I love our baby and I want to be with you both always."

Addison nodded at the genuineness in his voice and as her voice cracked she spoke, "And I love you, Derek Marcus Shepherd."

* * *

Thoughts Please! Thanks, EP 


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: So you weren't the only one who was pissed by Mark's actions! Well, if Mark is going to  
grow up, as in **grow **up, he needs to know what he could lose...So this chapter he finds out his  
actions have consequences. God, I love Callie/Mark together but my first love is Addek!

So since, I can't watch any of my shows because of either crappy writing/unbelievable storylines/bad acting,  
I've chosen to drift off into fanfiction land and have started to write like crazy so you may be getting more  
frequent updates as a result.

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**WIP Chapter 14**

Callie leaned against the counter as she was making notations in the chart of the knee surgery that had gone off without a scratch. Miranda smiled as she sidled up besides her, "You know that the smile you are sporting is actually getting quite annoying. Why don't you drop it?"

Callie smiled back at her, "I had fun last night, and I wanted to thank you for it. It was partly because of you, its nice being able to hang out with women your own age who treat you like an equal and not a spot on their sleeve that they want to brush off." She said this in reference to the women who were walking by, Cristina and Meredith.

Miranda smiled knowingly, "So what do you say to lunch?"

Callie started to say that she wanted to leave her options open in case Mark called when she heard Meredith and Cristina speaking and Mark's name mentioned.

"What do you mean? You have a date with McSteamy? When did this happen? You certainly move fast girl, I thought you were still grieving McDreamy but what better way to get over McDreamy than a night with McSteamy?"

Callie felt her heart drop to her knees as she realized that her fears were coming true, it was completely one-sided the feelings that she had for Mark. He was already move on to his next quest and damn it if it wasn't Meredith Grey.

Miranda put a consoling arm around her shoulder and barked out to her interns, "What the hell are you two doing standing around? There are lives out there to be saved, now go find them."

After they scurried away to obey her order, Callie felt the tears rise in her eyelids but refused to let them fall. She instead turned to Miranda and smiled in gratitude, "Thank you for that, it would've been horrible if I started crying in front of them."

Miranda nodded, "Do you want me to go beat up the little idiot?"

Callie shook her head, "Not unless you want to beat me up while you're at it. I was the one who stupidly believed that I was starting to signify more to him than an easy lay." She sighed dejectedly and turned down the hall as George was coming down the hall.

George felt a smile bloom on his face as he saw her, "Callie, I was looking for you earlier. Listen, my plate is free tonight, what do you say we go out to eat and talk things over?"

Callie nodded as she saw Mark come down the hall and the smile that lit his face, "Sure George, I would love to have dinner with you. Pick me up around 8."

George grinned excitedly and then leaned over and brushed his lips over hers. Callie jumped in shock, she hadn't been prepared to receive his kiss but she smiled anyway as she started down the hall walking past a distraught Mark without speaking.

Miranda looked at the two of them and sighed in disgust, "Idiots, the whole lot of them, idiots." She walked over to the phone and called her husband, she needed to speak with someone who loved her without games or pretenses.

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"I specifically recall telling you to take it easy." Derek walked into the bedroom of the trailer as he noticed his wife glasses perched on her nose, engrossed on her laptop and walked over to the bed to remove the computer from her makeshift portable workstation when she slapped his hands away.

"I can't shut down now, I'm about to find the perfect place for Callie. Its rent controlled and it has a waterfront view. I'm about to argue the price down and as soon as he agrees, I'm going to get him to send over a lease with those terms so Callie can look over it and make her decision."

Derek slid on the bed next to her and pulled off her glasses and said, "You are supposed to be sleeping Addison, besides Callie can look for her own apartment."

Addison swiped her glasses out of his hand and put them back on with a smile, "Callie and I are friends now. We've eaten out of the same pint of ice cream, there's nothing I won't do for her besides I'm in the bed, my feet are up I'm resting so all of your and Dr. Revelle's orders are being met. I even started taking my medication again."

Derek laughed and said, "I need to go to the hospital and finish some paperwork I left pending and check on a couple of things, can I trust you to stay here and not cause any kinds of problems?"

Addison rolled her eyes, "What kind of problems could I cause? Besides, I need to call Callie anyway and see if she wants to meet for lunch."

Derek shook his head fiercely, "Absolutely not. You are not leaving this bed, doctor's orders, husband's orders whatever if she wants to have lunch she'll have to come here. Just call me on my cell and tell me what you want and I'll bring it home."

Addison pouted at the tone in his voice and started whining, "The trailer is too small for us to all eat here besides I don't feel like cooking…I promise I won't go to far from home and you have my cell phone number and get in touch with me at anytime."

Derek closed his eyes as he lay down next to her and said, "Fine, you win. But don't overexert yourself. You still need to be resting."

Addison nodded, "We need to discuss living arrangements when you return. I can't continue to live in this trailer besides all my stuff is still at Miranda's. I need to know where I'm going to move into when I leave her house."

Derek nodded, "I was going to setup a meeting with a real estate agent while I was out. We can start looking for houses."

Addison exhaled a soft breath, "You believe we are ready to start looking at houses together? I mean all of our problems are nowhere near being solved and our future is still up in the air. I just don't want to precipitate our reconciliation and end up being stuck in a house with a guy who doesn't want me or my child."

Derek stood up and walked to his dresser silently and started shoving drawers loudly as he took out clothes.

Addison leaned her head back on the headboard and closed her eyes, "This is exactly what I want to avoid. Each time you and I have a fight we can go to separate places to lick our wounds. If we are in each other's faces…"

Derek interrupted her reasoning, "If we are in each other's faces we can discuss it like adults and work through our issues together. What you want is to ensure you always have an out."

Addison laughed, "You don't think I deserve to have an out? Good god, Derek after everything we've been through, me having an out is the least that I deserve. You told me you wanted to work on our marriage and you worked Meredith right out of her clothes, the night of the prom, the night that I found out I was pregnant."

Derek slammed the drawers closed and turned to her, "So am I going to always have this hanging over my head? I made a mistake."

Addison snorted, "A mistake that you didn't think that you had to come back to me to apologize for, you almost expect us to make us even. I sleep with Mark; you sleep with Meredith and we're done talking about the whole thing and everything is okay."

Derek winced, "I never said that and if you believe that it's like that then I ask that you forgive me because I never wanted you to feel that you were obligated to forgive me simply because I forgave you for Mark. I don't even feel like I have anything to forgive you for. I just want us to work together to the place where we can have a fight but still go to bed and sleep in the same bed even if it's angry but it's together."

Addison nodded, "I see what you're saying. I'll think about it and I can't promise you anything but I'll try to think about it."

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Callie smiled as she closed the door to her latest patient. All of his tests showed that he was doing well after the surgery and that the only thing he would have to worry about now was rehab for his hip.

Callie walked out and ran into Mark who was leaning against the counter with a scowl on his face. She started to walk right past him when he grabbed her arm. She turned on him and jerked it out of his hand and said, "Dr. Sloan how can I help you?"

Mark looked at her and said, "Don't you think you me an explanation?"

Callie rolled her eyes and said, "An explanation? Why do you feel that you deserve an explanation? If you're upset because I'm going out to dinner with George, there's nothing strange about that."

Mark crossed his arms, "What made you decide to go out on a date with him when I thought we were having such a good time together?"

Callie laughed, "Tell me then why are you going out on a date with Meredith Gray if we are having such a _good_ time as you put it?"

Mark swore under his breath and then reached for her arm but she jerked it away, "Can we at least talk about this? Look, I didn't process what I was doing at the time, let's just cancel both of our dates and go out somewhere and then go back to the hotel together."

Callie shook her head, "Tell me why you felt the need to make the date in the first place. We had agreed on a no-strings sexual relationship and bit by bit, slowly we were starting to connect on more than a sexual level. I was starting to actually care and then I get here and found out you made a date with the woman who is responsible for the unhappiness of the woman you _claim_ to still love and now who is also a good friend of mine."

Mark pulled her by the arm into the locker room for the doctors and said, "Callie it wasn't like that. Look, I'm sorry just forgive me please."

Callie laughed to her herself, "Mark, what am I forgiving you for? We have a no-strings relationship; I'm the one who should be apologizing to you. You were the one that requested that we don't get emotionally attached and that's what I'm doing, I'm pulling back just like I told you at the hotel. Only problem was I didn't stick to my guns and pulled back from you, I started to care and made myself believe you did to. Why don't we just call this even and you can forget that you ever saw me here."

She walked towards the door and Mark held her against the door and locked it behind him and leaned towards her ear, "You," kiss, "Will", kiss, "Not", kiss, "Leave", kiss, "Me". After placing all of these soft kisses on her cheek he reached for her lips and devoured her mouth with his own.

Callie felt like she was caught up in a windstorm of passion as she was thrust against the door and Mark started reaching for the bottom of her scrub top, "Mark, we can't do this here."

Mark kissed her on the mouth again, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry I let my fear of being with you blind me to how amazing you are and it scared me for a moment put don't let me lose this, please."

Callie closed her eyes as the tears started to seep out of her eyelids. "Mark?" She held him as he was working magic on her with his mouth and his hands.

Callie pushed back and said, "Mark, I can't do this with you here and now, please just let me go."

Mark pulled away breathing heavily, "What are you going to do about your date?"

Callie shot back, "What are you going to do about yours? Look, I made a promise to George, one I intend to keep. Feel free to go out with Meredith if you like."

Callie turned around to unlock the door when Mark put his hand on the door stopping her from leaving and said from behind her, "Can we at least meet tonight at the hotel afterwards?"

Callie turned around shocked, "You want to leave Meredith's bed and crawl into mine?"

Mark swore and pulled her body flush against his, "You feel that. That's how much I want you and nobody not Addison, not Meredith is going to be able to make this go away because only you elicit this in me. I'll drop off Dr. Grey at her house at a good time and meet you at the hotel. Don't make me wait."

Dropping a kiss on her lips, he unlocked the door and walked out while Callie leaned against the door breathing heavily.

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Addison reached for her cell phone and dialed Callie's number.

Callie waited a moment before answering the phone and when she did she was still breathing heavily, "Yes?"

Addison pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at it in confusion, "Callie? My phone sounds like there's a lot of static. Anyway I was wondering if you wanted to come over to the trailer for lunch. You may have plans already…"

Callie jumped on a chance to talk about the emotions turning in her and said, "I love too. What time do you want me over?"

Addison smiled happily, "I, at first had decided to see if I could meet you and Miranda for lunch but I changed my mind and decided to take it easy. I called Derek and he's bringing home food for lunch and then he's leaving so it'll just be us girls. I need to talk to you about some things and I didn't want to do it over the phone."

Callie exhaled deeply, "I'm glad you said that because I'm in the middle of a crisis here and I need a listening ear."

Addison leaned back, "So tell me what happened that has you so worried?"

Callie laughed, "Didn't we just say that over the phone is not really convenient?"

Addison laughed in unison with Callie and said, "Hey while your there see if Miranda feels up to joining us. We could always use a clear opinion at this table."

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See how, I'm making them all friends? 


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Update, let me know your thoughts! My favorite trio is back together again,  
if only they could really be this close on the show (Call/Addi/Mira)!

* * *

**Chapter 15**

Mark walked up to the table and said, "Why the hell are we so screwed up?"

Derek looked up at him and said, "Why do you keep following me? I told you that our friendship was over and that you weren't my friend and yet you still follow after me."

Mark pulled out the chair and sat down, "You _were_ my friend before you made the stupidest mistake of your life."

Derek leaned back, "Please enlighten me as to how you sleeping with _my_ wife is the stupidest mistake of my life."

Mark smiled, "Gladly. If you had just cared even a little bit about what she could've been going through you would've been the one there and not me. I was tired of trying to fill your shoes, I'm not a patient man and I got tired of hearing her whine all about you so I helped myself to what was yours."

Derek rolled his eyes and started to get up when Mark looked at him and said, "Please sit down, I want to talk to you. Look I'm sorry for trying to provoke you, that was unfair especially since I still need your advice. Please sit down."

Derek sat down and crossed his arms, "What do you want?"

Mark laughed at the gesture, "You are not here to judge me, you are here to listen and I need you to hear the fact that we are screwed up. Man, how did we get like this?"

Derek looked at him in confusion, "What do you mean _we_ are screwed up?"

Mark leaned forward, "I mean _we_ because we are screwed up. You have a beautiful wife that you were moments away from losing because you were too self-involved or stupid one or the other."

Derek nodded and said, "Okay so I admit that you have a point, I'm screwed up. But that still doesn't explain you, how are you screwed up?"

Mark put his head in his hands, "I'm screwing things up with Callie."

Derek looked at him in confusion, "We were just talking about her and how when you came over you were stumbling drunk in my trailer. What could you have possibly done between now and then that could screw things up with her?"

Meredith chose this moment to walk by their table and without sparing a glance for Derek leaned down and brushed her lips over his, "I'm looking forward to our date tonight."

Mark nodded nonchalantly and as she walked away turned back to Derek's thunderous face, "I did that."  
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"So we have roasted chicken, vegetables, rolls and best of all Strawberry Shortcake for dessert." Addison opened her arms and demonstrated the spread of the table to her two friends. Callie and Miranda shuffled in and sat down at the table.

Addison walked in the room as she looked at a dejected Callie and a pissed Miranda. She sat down at the table and turned to her friends, "So was today not a good day for lunch?"

Miranda sat forward and motioned to Callie, "This idiot over here is busy playing games with Mark, games that she's too old to be playing and she's upset because Mark is calling her on the games."

Addison looked at Callie in confusion, "What's going on Callie? I thought things were going so well between you guys."

Callie burst out in anger, "I thought they were too but he proved to be just another guy. He tells me that he wants a no-strings sexual relationship but then he starts acting like he's interested in me and what I have to say and how I'm affected by things and then he turns cold on me."

Addison leaned back, "What happened today?"

Miranda waved her hand and said, "It doesn't matter what happened until I'm fed, I'm hungry. I want something to eat and while we are eating we can discuss what happened."

Addison directed Miranda to the food and then turned to Callie, "Do you want to tell me what happened now?"

Callie shrugged, "When I came into work today, I was happy and then everything went downhill after my hip replacement surgery. I was leaning against the counter telling Miranda about how happy I was and…."

Miranda sat down with a full plate and turned to Addison, "She heard Meredith say that she had a date with McDreamy."

Addison sat back in shock, "With Meredith Grey? After everything we've been through, what was he thinking?"

Callie nodded and said, "This is what I was trying to tell Miranda but she still thinks that it's my fault."

Addison turned to Miranda in disbelief, "How is Mark being an SOB Callie's fault?"

Miranda turned a disapproving look on Callie and said, "Tell Addison what you did in retaliation to Mark for his stupidity."

Addison looked back at Callie and said, "What did you do?"

Callie looked away in shame, "I accepted a date with George."

Addison stood up and walked towards the counter where the food was and started making a plate.

Callie came up beside her and said, "Are you mad at me too?"

Addison shrugged, "I'm not mad. After everything I've done, I don't get to have an opinion. I just think that playing Mark's game could be dangerous. What happens if it turns out Mark sleeps with Meredith while you're waiting for him. I just don't want you to get too caught up in the feelings for Mark. If he's showing that he can't be trusted now, breakaway."

Callie reached for her plate as she started munching on the food turned to Miranda, "What do you think my next move should be Nazi?"

Miranda glared at her but turned her attention back to her plate and resumed eating, "I think you should seriously consider what you want to happen tonight. Do you seriously want to spend time with George because he could be the one or is your pride kicking your butt? If its pride, I say let George go for no other reason then he doesn't deserve to have his feelings tied up in a woman who clearly wants to be in a relationship with another man."

Callie and Addison sat down and started eating when Addison turned to Miranda and said, "I agree with you on all but one point. Why shouldn't she go out with George? She's not obligated to sleep with him and they were friends once upon a time why can't this be a good time to renew that friendship. I think now's a perfect opportunity for her to see what life without Mark will be like."

Callie shrugged, "I don't know what I feel for Mark and whether it's only physical attraction or whether it could be love I don't want to deny myself the possibility of being loved just because I'm hurt over Mark."

Addison nodded, "Well now that, that's settled. Can we move on to my problem please?"  
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"You haven't said anything."

Derek looked up into the face of his former best friend and leaned forward smirking, "What do you want me to say? That once again you're after my leftovers?"

Mark scowled and said, "If Addison wasn't pregnant I would kill you. How many times do I have to tell you I didn't set out to get your wife? I don't have this burning desire to be all things Derek Shepherd. I saw my best friend's wife struggling with some heavy drama and all she needed was the assurance that her husband loved and supported her as she dealt with her illness. You didn't give her that and so I did and we just happened to end up in bed. That's it; there was no grand scheme to steal her away from you."

Derek rolled his eyes, "Okay suppose I let that explanation for Addison go. What do you say about Meredith? Why would you ask her out if you were just whining to me about Callie yesterday?"

Mark swore under his breath, "Because I'm an ass. I was worried that I was becoming _too_ attached to Callie and I needed to pull back. I had been worrying about that all night when your ex came up to me and asked if I wanted to go out to eat. The only thing running through my brain was can I forget Callie with her? Can I show that I'm not completely involved with Callie by going out with her? I said yes before I knew what I was doing and now Callie is pissed at me."

Derek laughed, "It's the least you deserve. If you had feelings for her, why not be a man and explore them?"

Mark smirked, "Oh? Like you did with Meredith? Please, I'm not that advanced, I want sex and I want a good time and I didn't think I was hurting anyone's feelings but mine got hurt right back."

Derek looked at him in confusion, "You asked Meredith out and got hurt back in return, I don't understand that."

Mark laughed, "I wish I could explain to you what I did but even I don't understand. I was walking down the hall pleased with myself, I had made a date with Meredith Grey and I was in the first step to proving to myself that I wasn't emotionally involved with Callie. Well along comes Callie who unbeknownst to me has find out about my date with Grey. She's talking to her ex who's asking her out and she accepts right in front of me then stalks off with no explanation."

Derek flinched, "That had to hurt."

Mark nodded, "That's not the worst part the SOB has the balls to kiss her in front of me. Like showing me he was staking his claim."

Derek shrugged, "Well why wouldn't he? It's not like you claimed yours on her when you had a chance."

Mark rolled his eyes, "You are supposed to be helping me feel better not reminding me of my mistake."

Derek stood up and looked down at him, "What do you want me to say? I warned you that we aren't friends and that we will never be friends again and I'm not going to offer you advice that you want simply because it's advantageous to you, I'm going to tell you the truth. You just don't seem to want to understand that and not when it's not to your liking."

Mark stood up and stared him down, "I just wanted a friend and a listening ear. What I always was to you these 11 years before I made a mistake and ruined our friendship. I'm sorry Derek and even though you don't want me as a friend, I can't imagine anyone else being able to fill those shoes."

Derek shook his head and walked away.  
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Miranda dipped into her dessert with a spoon and said, "Okay we've managed to solve global warming, the war in Iraq and the shoes for Callie's date but we still haven't talked about your problem. Addison, what happened?"

Addison looked up at Miranda and Callie and said, "Derek wants us to live together. He thinks that if we have fights we should be in the same house so we can work them out together."

Miranda stopped mid spoon lift and said, "He wants you to just move in with him?"

Callie rolled her eyes as she ate the last of her dessert and pushed her plate forward, "I don't get it…Just a couple of days ago, you two were a stones throw away from a divorce now he wants to live with you again?"

Addison leaned back in her chair and nodded, "See so I'm not the only one who thinks it's weird?"

Miranda put down her spoon and said, "Answer me this, the love that you have for Derek has it wavered in anyway? Even through all the diagnosis of the lupus, the pregnancy and the affair with Mark and his with Meredith has you love for the man ever wavered?"

Addison shook her head, "I never doubted that he was the love of my life but I learned to doubt very soon that I was the love of his."

Miranda nodded, "Do you want to be with him again in that sense? To know where he is every hour of the day, know his moods, have fights together and make up together in the same house?"

Addison shrugged, "I don't know. I'm still broken in two over my feelings, the only thing I do know? I love him, I love him a lot and I'm scared that if I say no to this I'll lose him."

Callie snorted, "I'm getting tired of hearing you say that you are afraid you are going to lose him at every turn. If you are that insecure about this relationship, should you even be in a relationship? Does it make any better if you were to try it on your own?"

Addison leaned back against the chair and put her hands over her face. She exhaled a couple of deep breaths and then looked at her two girlfriends who were sitting at the table on bated breath, "I love Derek with all I am and I want to be his wife again in every sense of the word, I just don't want to hurt anymore. I'm pregnant you guys, and this is something that I've wanted for the whole time since I've been married to him and now I don't know what to do to trust him again. Derek thinks if I don't want to move in with him it's because I still need an out."

Miranda shrugged, "Do you still need an out or are you in for the long run? I think you are the only one who can define the answer to that question. You told us that he is the love of your life, he is the father of your child and he's repentant. Do you really want to give him another chance or just keep him at bay until either one of your fails so you can feel you've proved your point by staying apart or do you really want to fight for your marriage by jumping in with your heart first?"

Addison nodded as the truth of her friends words washed over her.

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Thoughts please. Thanks EP 


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Kind of a long one, while I rework the next chapters. Thoughts please!

* * *

Derek was walking down the hall when he stumbled upon Meredith. She quickly met his eyes then looked away. She started to walk off and away when he called her name. 

"Dr. Grey."

Meredith stopped mid-flight and turned around on her heel, "Is there something you want Dr. Shepherd?"

Derek nodded, "I need to speak to you."

Meredith smiled, "I'm about to meet Dr. Bailey for our afternoon meeting, can this wait?"

Derek shook his head, "I know for a fact that Miranda won't be in for a couple more minutes. My wife just called me and told me that Miranda was running a little late."

Meredith crossed her arms and said, "What can I help you with then Dr. Shepherd?"

Derek looked at the woman who stood in front of him and felt empathy. "Meredith, I just wanted to know how you were doing. I know it hasn't been easy seeing me at work and when Addison returns to work next week…"

Meredith interrupted his sentence, "I have no problem with Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd it's you that I don't ever want to see again. You led me on and made me choose, you made me want you again. I trusted you and let you back in only to have you break me in two and now you want to talk. I can't even conceive of talking about anything normal with you, the truth is I don't understand why you are even speaking to me now. Its like you want to pull me in again with your smile but I know that it's just another one of your games which just pisses me off even more."

Derek exhaled sharply, "I know that you don't understand, at times I feel that I don't understand myself. I don't understand how I let my life get completely out of control and hurt the woman in my life that meant more to me in along time than anyone else I knew. I don't know how to make you understand that it was never my intention to hurt you, you or Addison."

Meredith rolled her eyes, "Your intentions? Do you even know what your own intentions were? For months you treated Addison like dirt, everyone saw it, I even secretly reveled in it because I took it to mean that I was still important to you. I thought it meant that you were over her and that the love that you had for each other had left and the only thing left from that 11 year marriage were bad memories that you were looking to forget. You made me believe that you had made the wrong choice when I had finally gotten to a place of acceptance and was ready to move on and then you decide to tell me that I was the one you were meant to be with the whole time. Finn was and is a deeply flawed man who I hurt all because I wanted you and you _said _you wanted me."

Derek closed his eyes, "What can I do to make you understand that I'm sorry Meredith? I'm sorry I hurt you, I'm sorry I led you on. I'm sorry I didn't know how to be a man and confront the reality of my life and my part in all of it. I'm sorry I dragged you into this mess and I didn't let you go even when you tried to. I'm sorry I made you believe that I was the one who could make all your dreams come true."

Meredith felt the tears come to her eyes, "Derek, I can't just look into your McDreamy eyes and say everything is okay Derek. Go on with your life, I'll be fine. I would be lying to you and I think our relationship when it was a relationship meant more to you than lies. I won't pretend that you and I will ever be friends again; I don't even want to work with you. I just want you to disappear from my life."

Derek nodded and said, "It still makes me sad to realize that I've ruined what was once a great friendship."

Meredith rolled her eyes, "Don't you get it Derek? That's another reason, I'm angry we were never friends and that was the problem we jumped into bed and created a relationship and a connection out of sex. I didn't give myself time to know you and I blame myself for that, I just was overcome by your potency. I'm to blame because if I had gotten to know you before we fell into bed, maybe none of this would've happened, maybe I would've seen how screwed up you were and decided that my problems and your problems don't mix. Maybe I would still be with Finn and I would be happy not standing here looking into your eyes wondering how it's possible that you still have the power to devastate me just by a simple look from your eyes. Please just let me go, don't try to make nice… Because you know what, I'm not ready and I don't know if I'll ever be. I'm just not ready to make nice."  
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Callie exhaled as she entered the hospital shoulder to shoulder with Miranda. She patted her on the shoulder, "I need to go beat up my interns. You need to check on your patients."

Callie smiled and nodded and started to walk away when she stopped and turned around, "Miranda?"

Miranda stopped mid-stride to meet her face with a smile, "I had a great time at lunch it's been wonderful hanging out with you and Addison."

Miranda nodded and said, "I had a wonderful time as well. It's nice knowing that we have each other even when it seems like everything else in our worlds goes wrong."

Callie nodded and walked off only to run into George, "George, I'm sorry. I didn't see you there."

George nodded and said, "You had lunch with Bailey?"

Callie smiled and said, "Bailey and Addison. We were at Derek's trailer."

George scowled and said, "I still can't believe he left Meredith like he did. He was just wrong after everything he put her through to just change his mind when she was so happy about being back with him..."

Callie rolled her eyes and cut him off, "If this is going to be another poor Meredith party, I don't want to hear it. She had sex with a married man in an exam room and she didn't care about the consequences, she doesn't get my pity. If anything she gets what she deserves, you play dirty you have to expect to be treated dirty."

George started to make a defense of his friend Meredith when Callie held up her hand in protest, "Look George if you are going to talk about Meredith the whole time that we are together for dinner tonight maybe its better if we just cancel. I don't want to fight with you about the virtues of Meredith or defend Addison because I'm sure we could do both ad nauseam. I just thought we could go out like the friends we were but if you can't handle that…."

George interrupted, "I can handle that, I promise no more talk about Meredith. I'm sorry and you're right. She wasn't completely innocent in all of this and she doesn't deserve that I defend her all the way and not to someone who's trying to support Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd."

Callie smiled and said, "Thanks for that. So are you still picking me up from the hospital or did something come up?"

George nodded and took her hand, "Nothing has come up. I put aside tonight for you and I and I mean to keep this promise to you."

Callie smiled and started to reply when George's pager ringed. He pulled it and said, "Damn it's Bailey. I'm late for our afternoon class. I have to go."

George kissed Callie and started running down the hall, "We'll talk later."  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Addison sat on the bed scrolling through the amenities at the place that she had found for Callie. Callie had loved the place and declared that she would always been one of her girlfriends because she had proven that she wasn't just savvy in her skills as a doctor but she was also savvy in her skills as a negotiator. She had told Addison that she didn't want to spend more than a certain amount of money per month and she had been the one who had hassled the leasing office until they met Callie's demands and then got the revised lease in writing. Callie was so excited she was putting her in charge of the housewarming party.

Addison closed her eyes as the memories of the lunch with her girlfriends ran through her mind. Miranda was right, she did love Derek and she wanted more than anything for their marriage to work and the only way that she could prove that she was willing to work on their marriage and the only way that she could demonstrate that was to prove everyone wrong and show that she hadn't been wrong in taking Derek back. She was going to have to swallow her pride and move in with Derek because it is what they deserve to really try for a second chance and what her child deserved to have both parents under the same roof.

She rubbed her hand gently over her stomach where her child lay and leaned back on the headboard and rubbed her belly. "I promise you that I will always be there for you. I don't know how I messed up things so much with your father but I promise you that you will always come first in our lives, both of our lives."

She stood up and walked out of the bedroom and after checking her watch scowled and said, to no one in particular, "I need to start getting ready to go."

Derek came into the trailer at the same time she was getting ready to leave, "Derek, what are you dong back so early?"

Derek leaned against the door and questioned, "And what are you doing leaving so early? I distinctly remember telling you that everything you needed to have done, I would be here to do or you could call me."

Derek pulled out his cell phone and showed Addison the menu, "See no missed calls. Where are you going?"

Addison sighed and put down her purse. She sat down in the chair and rolled her eyes, "I was planning on going to check out a town home that the realtor emailed me. She works pretty fast and I just thought…."

Derek snorted, "I need to know where my wife is going so I can go to bed and get some rest. I know for a fact that the realtor sent you email pictured of the homes that she thought you would like and we were going to consider the homes later on tomorrow when we both have off."

Addison crossed her arms, "Fine, I'm going over to Callie's for moral support as she gets ready for her date with George."

Derek sat down across from her and pulled her hands in his lap, "I don't see what you are doing going over to Callie's for moral support. She's a big girl and she should be able to get ready for a date by herself."

Addison pulled her hands out of his lap, "Ever since you came to Seattle, you've been the one with all the friends, you've been the one with all of the contacts and now I'm finally falling into a place where I feel comfortable here. We can raise our family here and still have our friendships only if you'll let me."

Derek nodded and sat back, "Your right. I can't expect you to stay here in Seattle only having me as your only friend. I must admit it was nice but I can't be selfish anymore, I have to let you branch out."

Addison smiled and leaned forward and kissed him gently on the cheek, "I'll be back later Derek."

Derek stood up and pulled her into his arms and hugged her to his body. "I love you Addison."

He leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers taking into account that them being intimate again was a new feeling for her. He was surprised when she met his gentle kiss with one intense of her own. He opened his mouth as she sought entry with her tongue and wrapped her arms around his waist and deepened the kiss.

He pulled back with a groan, "Why don't you call Callie and tell her that you aren't feeling well? I'm thinking we could have so much more fun if it was just the two of us."

Addison pulled back and said, "Maybe later on tonight we can continue this discussion but for now, I have to go help a friend get ready for a date she doesn't want to go on with a guy who she doesn't like all because of a man she can't stop thinking about."

Derek laughed and said, "I'm not even going to ask but I just want to remind you that I'm off tomorrow so we can go house hunting tomorrow. So Dr. Shepherd, what do you think about that?"

Addison smiled and said, "Tomorrow we will start house hunting and then we can go start on working on us, just the two of us."  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Mark stared at his reflection in the mirror and grimaced. What the hell was he doing? In a couple of minutes he was supposed to start to get ready to go get Meredith and go on out a date. The only thing that was running through his mind was that he should've never accepted. If he truly felt how he told her he would've fought harder to keep her with him.

The phone rang and he swore under his breath, "Sloan?"

Derek cleared his throat and said, "Mark? I wanted to ask you something."

Mark pulled his phone away from his ear and shrugged in confusion, "I thought we weren't talking so what can I do you for Shepherd?"

Derek cleared his throat, "I wanted to warn you about hurting Callie. She's a nice woman and she didn't deserve to be dragged into your crazy game."

Mark rolled his eyes, "I don't need you to tell me how to treat my friends or my enemies. I tell you what why don't you just watch out for your wife and leave me alone. You've been telling me for the longest time that I'm not your friend any longer and I believed you so for as long as you see fit it doesn't justify you call threatening me."

Derek smiled on the other end of the line, "I'm not threatening you. You are the one who flew across the country to be with my wife even after she told you that she didn't want to be with you. She's finally settling into life here in Seattle and I don't want you leaving a bad taste in her mouth, leave Callie alone if your not serious about her. She doesn't deserve to be just another notch on your bedpost, she's better than that."

Mark smirked, "I love hearing you tell me this wonderful story about how wonderful Callie is, but I'm curious did you call me to warn me away from hurting Callie or leaving Meredith alone?"

Derek laughed, "You always have to turn everything around to Meredith don't you? I'm calling you because of Callie and Callie alone. I don't care what you do or don't do with Meredith just leave Addison out of whatever you chose to do."

Mark exhaled slowly, "Look Derek, I don't have anything against you for wanting to protect Callie if I believed that was your only motive in this whole thing but something inside tells me that you're calling to ease your conscience about Meredith which is something that I absolutely will not listen to. If you don't want Addison, tell her but don't call here acting like you're only thought in the world is protecting Callie."

He hung up the phone disgusted and started to get ready for his date wondering if Callie was doing the same.

* * *

Next Chapter: Trio bonding, Mark/Mer date and other conversations. 


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: So here come the dreaded dates, don't worry I had a hard time writing it because I'm such a Callie/Mark supporter  
so let me know your thoughts!

**Chapter 17**

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"I like the red dress better its looks better with your skin tone."

Addison nodded in agreement with Miranda as she lay on the bed resting. Callie smiled at her two friends and said, "I hope that he doesn't expect too much from this date, I'll look gorgeous of course but that's all he's getting."

Addison nodded and smiled, "You don't have to do anything you want to do besides what you are worried about? I thought you were hoping to give him some of his own medicine."

Callie nodded, "I wanted to make Mark jealous but if he doesn't care anyway what good does it do if I'm wasting my breath and my time trying to get him to care." She slipped on the dress and reached for her shoes that Miranda handed her from her spot in the chair across from her closet.

Callie smiled gratefully and Addison said, "Well I don't understand any of it. What do you feel for George and what do you feel for Mark?"

Miranda rolled her eyes, "Who cares what you feel for either one of them? Go out tonight and have a good time and forget about all the problems that are suddenly weighing you down."

Callie smiled in agreement as she slipped on her shoes and said, "There's only one problem with that plan."

Miranda looked at her in confusion, "And what would that problem be?"

Callie grimaced as she reached for her perfume, "I told Mark that I would meet him at my hotel after our date with Meredith and George."

Miranda shook her head in distaste and uttered one word to sum up the whole situation, "Nasty."

Addison sat up in shock, "After you go out on your date with George he wants you to meet him at the hotel? God forbid, what if he sleeps with Meredith….Is he going to….I'm taking Miranda's stance on this one Nasty."

Callie laughed at her friend's equal expressions of disgust and said, "Look I told Mark the same thing and he swore up and down that he was going to bring Meredith home early and that I didn't have anything to worry about because that is not what this date is about. Addison, do you think I have anything to worry about?"

Addison rolled her eyes, "Mark is what he is, but if he feels anything for you then you have one up on me. I don't know because he never felt anything real for me."

Miranda rolled her eyes, "Why don't you make plans to have fun with George and if it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out. Mark can wait but your social life can't."  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Meredith looked stunning and Mark wasn't one to mince words. "You look gorgeous."

Meredith smiled in happiness, "I'm glad you seem to thinks so." Mark pulled out her chair for her at the same Italian restaurant he had taken Callie to. He swore to himself, if he was going to be reminiscing about Callie all night then he couldn't prove to himself that he wasn't emotionally involved.

Mark laughed and smiled to himself, "So tell me Meredith how was your day at the hospital?"

Meredith smiled and launched into a dialogue about the day's events, "So there you have it. I had a pretty boring day at the hospital and I'm not looking to discuss this on our first date out."

Mark nodded, "I know I swore that we wouldn't discuss Derek but I should warn you that he called warning me against hurting you."

Meredith rolled her eyes as she reached for the glass of wine that had just had been placed in front of her. She sipped it softly and then met his eyes, "I told you I didn't want to discuss Derek but now that you brought it up, Derek talked to me today at work. He told me that he wanted to get my forgiveness or some crap like that. I didn't want to hear it then and I don't want to hear it now."

Mark nodded in agreement, "I agree, so let's call all talk of the Shepherds to an end for the evening, what do you say?" He lifted his glass in toast which Meredith did in kind and as they clinked glasses they called an end to discussion of all things Shepherd.  
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Callie looked at George as he was sitting on her couch after situating the box of pizza and the movies while he was currently on the couch with a slice in his hand and eating. Callie laughed as she looked down at herself again, "I get the feeling I'm too dressed up."

George reddened and said, "I'm sorry I just thought it might work out better if you and I could be in your hotel room just no pressure. We always could be like this that was always the beauty of our relationship."

Callie nodded, "Your right. What movies did you bring?"

George leaned forward and said, "Before we get into the movies, can we talk about what's been happening between us lately?"

Callie leaned back on the arm of the couch and said, "What is there to talk about George? You always put your friends ahead of me, whether its Meredith, Izzie or Cristina and I just got tired of waiting. George, you have a lot going for you right now, you're young, smart and handsome. But for some reasons when it comes to women outside of your roommates, your priorities are screwed up. The only thing that I'm was counting on is that I thought you cared about me but time and time again much to my dismay you proved that I wasn't number one in your life and for any guy I date that has to be a prerequisite."

George leaned across the couch and stroked her face, "I do care about you Callie, that's what's so hard about this whole thing. I find myself wondering who comes first should it be you or my friends and…. I just don't want to end up alone."

Callie stood up, "George each time you were faced with that decision, I'm never the one that you choose for. I want a guy who when I call he's happy to see me not grimacing because he needs his space and is too chicken to tell me that he doesn't want me to move in with him. I want a guy who wants to be by my side and who's not afraid of me saying I love you and him saying it back. I don't get that when I'm with you all I get are is Meredith needs me, Izzie called me. I've waited to long in my life to be first in someone's life and if I can't be first in your life then I don't want to be in your life at all. Well, at least not in the capacity of girlfriend."

George nodded defeated, "I understand."

Callie stood up, "Look why don't I change my clothes and then we can watch the movie and eat pizza together. It won't be like before with the sex but we will at least be able to talk as friends."

George smiled, "It's a deal."  
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Meredith leaned forward after finishing her fifth glass of wine and said, "So why haven't you invited me back to your hotel yet? I thought you wanted me and I wore this pretty dress and put on deodorant for nothing."

Mark rolled his eyes, "You have rounds in the morning and the last thing that you need is to spend the whole night with me."

Meredith smiled and said, "I didn't think you were the type of guy who would be worried about whether or not I was okay for the next day. Why don't we go back to your hotel room and talk about this in the morning?"

Mark laughed and sat back, "Meredith we don't have to go back to my hotel room, why don't we just go back to the hotel. I'll buy you a room and you can sleep off the alcohol. When you and I sleep together, you need to have all of your wits about you because I promise you we won't be sleeping much."

Meredith leaned back in her chair and rolled her eyes, "Chicken."  
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After Callie had let George out of was a relatively painless evening she had called both Miranda and Addison to converse over the events of the evening.

Addison had been the one to tell her that George was a misguided guy who would eventually grow up and realize what he had lost but that it was his loss and not for her to grieve.

Miranda had a special place in her heart for George as he helped her bring her son into the world and so she had stated that she didn't want her or George to get hurt and that as long as they were both okay with friendship she was happy.

She hung up the phone with a yawn as she put the rest of the pizza and the snacks that he brought with her in the trash.

She walked to her bedroom and reached for her robe as she got ready to go to bed. She had decided during the course of the night that she was going to make Mark Sloan wait. He had been the one who complained when she had accepted a date from George so he could be the one to wait until she was ready to see him.

Besides, she would not be the one to chase after him. He didn't deserve it, she would wait and bide her time and as she got into her bed she convinced herself that it was the right decision.

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Addison opened the door to the trailer and entered with her suitcases and Derek swore from where he was sitting watching TV. "Why the hell didn't you tell me you were planning on moving out of Miranda's tonight? I would've gone over there and helped you move."

Addison rolled her eyes as Derek hovered around her nervously taking bags from her arms, one at a time until she was left in the middle of the kitchen with only her purse in tow. "I didn't want you to think that you had to help me move. We are going to be looking for a house tomorrow anyway and I figured if we saw one we liked we could move in and I would already have my stuff right here."

Derek shook his head in disbelief, "You do know that we can't just move into anywhere without signing papers and all of those documents that you know are vital to us moving out of this trailer."

Addison sat down in the chair in the kitchen with a pout, "I just wanted to get all of my things out of storage I'm not telling you that we have to move there tomorrow but just to have my items out of Miranda's way. She has a husband and a child who might need that space at any time and I didn't want to deprive her of the possibility that I was always encroaching on her time and space. I just don't want to be a burden to anyone."

Derek kissed her on the forehead and pulled her into his arms and said, "I know a lot of things and Miranda Bailey loves you as a dear friend and you weren't interfering with her family in anyway as a matter of fact I was worried that I wouldn't be able to steal you back from her because she had become as protective of you as she was her son and husband."

Addison rested her head against his chest and said, "I want so many things for us Derek. I want us to get back to where we were and I want us to be happy about our baby together and I don't want to worry about the past always being our future."

Derek squeezed her to him and said, "My life has never been more full and complete than it has at this time. I'm holding my future in my arms and I've never felt better."

* * *

And I ended on a happy Addek note, I think I deserve bonus points for that one! Just kidding, let me know your thoughts! 


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: So I try to squeeze all kinds of squee in this chapter, let me know your thoughts:)

So I'm trying to make a pact, every other day I try to update. Let me know your thoughts.

**Chapter 18**

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Next Morning

As she rolled over in the bed she yawned as she realized that she had two hours to get ready before she was scheduled to be in the hospital.

Callie stumbled out of bed as she reached for her robe and yawned again. God, she was tired and there were days when she could swear she needed 12 hours of sleep instead of her customary eight. She reached for her cell phone which was vibrating on the end table. She had two messages one from Miranda and one from Addison both asking for details on the date of last night with Mark.

Callie stood up with a smile on her face as she reminisced that she had two new girlfriends to call on. They were both standing by her side and she was standing by them. She walked towards the door as she heard a newspaper hit the door. She opened the door and bent down as she saw the door of the suite across the hall open up and picked up the newspaper and was closing the door when she realized that she hadn't checked her phone for a call from Mark. She ran into the room and threw the paper down while reaching for her phone and smiled when she noticed that he had left her a message about midnight.  
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Mark had a pounding headache and was pissed. He had gotten back to the hotel and waited hours for Callie to show which she never did and he was pissed. He didn't know if it meant that she didn't want him or she wanted him to chase her but he wasn't up to play anymore games with her. He was going to have to cut her loose before she hurt his pride anymore.

He reached for the phone and was upset to see a voicemail waiting for him from Meredith. He dialed in his pass code as he listened to Meredith drone on about what a good evening she had and how she couldn't wait for their next date hopefully one that wouldn't end up with her alone at home. He pressed Delete then stayed in bed while he reminisced on his date with Meredith. After her fifth glass of wine he had taken her to her house after tricking her into believing that he was going to bring her back to the hotel. He had ceremoniously dumped her on Izzie and then rushed back to the hotel. He had stupidly hoped that Callie would be waiting from him already in his bed but after pacing around his hotel room for ten minutes, he realized hadn't heard a word from her. He had finally broken down and called her cell phone only to get her voicemail which infuriated him to no end. He wanted to be with her and he wanted to hear her voice and the fact that he didn't just proved to himself that it was too late that he had already started to care about her even more than he should.

He swung out of bed and headed towards the bathroom when he heard a knock on his door. He scrambled to the door and flung it open to see Callie leaning against his doorjamb. She graced him with a smile and then entered his suite dressed in an overcoat.

He closed the door behind her and crossed his arms as he leaned against the door, "What are you doing here? I thought we were supposed to meet last night but you stood me up."

Callie smiled at him brilliantly and said, "I got tied up."

Mark rolled his eyes as he pushed away from the door, "Tied up with George?"

Callie laughed at the jealous tone in his voice and said, "Don't you even want to know what I'm doing here?"

Mark nodded, "I must admit I'm curious." He didn't want to admit to himself how aroused he got just by her simple presence, she had the ability to stir emotions in him that he never felt.

Callie opened her overcoat and revealed the fact that she was nude underneath. Mark felt his breath leave his body and he crossed the room and took her in his arms and covered his mouth with hers leaving her breathless.

Callie smiled under his lips and said, "I was thinking since we are going to the hospital together we could conserve water and shower together, what do you say?"

Mark groaned against her lips as they walked towards the bathroom and said, "I think that's the best idea you've had all day."  
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Derek tiptoed into the bedroom with a tray for breakfast as he watched his wife sleep away soundly. Last night had been hard on her it seemed that instead of being plagued with morning sickness, she was plagued with evening sickness something that she didn't handle well. Addison was never the type of woman who liked to be ill, as a matter of fact she loathed it so when she vomited the dinner that he had prepared she had gone in the bedroom after showering and cried herself to sleep. He had decided as he cradled her in his arms that he would make today one of the best days of her life, something they could remember together for all the hell he had put her through in the previous months.

He watched as she yawned and opened her eyes slowly as they adjusted to the light. She smiled as she saw him enter the room with the tray full of breakfast foods. Addison sat up and laughed in disbelief, "What's all this?"

Derek closed the door behind him, "I just thought that since today was the day that you and I had to search for homes that we would spend the beginning of the day in bed eating breakfast together feeding you and my baby."

Addison rolled her eyes, "We have a meeting with the real estate person in less than an hour do you suppose we will have enough time to eat the spread you have out here?"

Derek eased in to bed with her as he placed the tray in between the two of them and speared two pieces of fruit on a fork, he presented them to her and said, "So strawberry or cantaloupe?"  
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Meredith walked into the hospital with her sunglasses on. George came up beside her and said, "You got in pretty late and I didn't get ask you how was your date?"

Meredith winced and said, "Where's the coffee? My date? My date was a perfect gentleman and it sucked."

Cristina sidled up to the two of them, "McSteamy? A perfect gentleman, I don't believe it."

Meredith walked over to the counter and made a cup of coffee and said, "Well believe it because I couldn't believe it myself. Five glasses of wine in and I couldn't get him to budge from his position as a chaperone of the drunk."

George leaned against the counter, "Wait so you wanted to sleep with McSteamy?"

Meredith shrugged, "I don't know if I wanted to sleep with him, but I wanted to have the option to say no or yes if I so decided. He didn't even offer he just took me home like a good gentleman. Maybe Derek did scare him."

Cristina leaned forward in shock, "Wait, McDreamy warned McSteamy to leave you alone. Why is he still messing in your life? I thought he was happily married to Satan."  
Meredith nodded, "So did I but obviously he hasn't been able to keep his nose out of my business long enough to do so."

Miranda walked up behind the interns after hearing the last part of the conversation, "So now that we've had enough of Grey's sex life or lack thereof do you think we could get to work here?"  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Addison reached for her pants and a green blouse as she saw Derek pulling on jeans and a sweatshirt. Addison shook her head as impure thoughts ran through her mind. She needed to schedule an appointment with her OB/Gyn doctor. Maybe she could tell her why she was suddenly feeling the need to jump her husband at the most craziest times. She could swear that she had never been this horny before.

Addison exhaled deeply as Derek came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He kissed the side of her neck and said, "Are you ready to go?"

Addison nodded and turned around and was face to face with Derek. She felt the breath leave her body as she was face to face with him and she remembered the sensation of helplessness of having a man as virile as Derek had on her. As she watched his face full of tenderness and passion she leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips. Derek grabbed her face in his hands as she was pulling away and held her head still as he connected his mouth to hers again. Addison groaned as she opened her mouth under his and was caught up in dueling with his tongue for dominance. They could kiss like that for hours; it was something that always got them in trouble when they were dating and first married even Richard had complained when they were kissing goodbye at work it was like being privy to a soft-core porn movie, he said, they made kissing look like that were having sex while standing up and with clothes on. They alienated themselves until it seemed like they were the only two people in the room and people often commented that it made you feel uncomfortable to witness such an act as they were oblivious to the other people in the room.

Derek broke off the kiss and was breathing heavily as he leaned his forehead against hers, "We are going to be late for the real estate agent if we don't go now."

Addison nodded and pulled away slightly disappointed. She always forgot when she was close to him about how his closeness always made her weak and that all rational thought flew from her head. Derek dragged her back into his arms and latched his mouth onto hers again.

He broke away as he closed the door behind him and carried her to the bed, "Screw the real estate agent, I need you now."

* * *

Squee, sigh...They've been happy kinda long so we have maybe one or two more chapters before the stuff hits the fan. 


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: Last happy chapter, sorta! Next one we get into the drama/angst and it will stay for about  
5-6 more chapters before I wrap this one up as well.

One last mini-rant - Did anyone think it was weird that this 'wonderful relationship' that Mer/Der has and he thinks  
she's capable of suicide? WTF! How's that for healthy? Oh I forgot, this is Shondaland!

Yea so umm, I had tried to do the every other day thing, but kinda too much pressure...I'm forced to write more! gasp! I'll try to update  
again this weekend or early next week but no promises!

**Chapter 19**

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"Lunch?"

Callie stood at her locker searching for something but she didn't know what. She closed the locker door and was surprised to see George standing there with a hopeful smile on his face.

"George, you don't have plans?"

George shrugged and said, "I don't have plans yet that is. I was wondering if you wanted to go to lunch first before I go to my regulars."

Callie closed her locker and leaned against it, "So you came here to see if I wanted to go to lunch before you wanted to meet your friends?"

George nodded pleased that she had seen his reasoning, "I was just wondering if you didn't have plans and I didn't have plans."

Callie opened her mouth to say she was delighted when a gruff voice spoke up from behind them, "Are you ready for lunch Callie?"

Callie spun around in shock to see Mark leaning against the locker eyeing the two of them with distaste.

George looked at her with a hurt expression and said, "If you had plans for lunch already why didn't you say so?"

George walked out with Callie standing there seething. She turned to him and said, "Why the hell did you do that?"

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Later

Derek just sat in a trance at the headboard of their bed as he watched Addison sleep soundly. After making love to her three times he realized that he would never be sated, there would be no end to his desire to be inside her, to mark her as his and his alone. When he was close to her the desire to claim and brand her as his never grew old and it didn't help that she was so responsive. She made him feel like the only person who could ever make her feel that way. He watched as she yawned once and then opened her eyes in confusion. She bolted upright and slapped Derek on the arm,

"We are late for our meeting with the real estate agent."

Derek nodded nonchalantly in agreement, "I called her and told her to push the meeting to the afternoon she wasn't pleased but when I told her that we would be making a decision on a house today, the dollar signs that I heard in her voice more than made up for it."

Addison nodded and swung her legs out of bed and reached for her robe. She looked back at him and smiled softly, "This was nice. The whole day has been nice, just the two of us together reconnecting. It helps remind me of better times."

Derek leaned forward and brushed a gentle kiss on her mouth, "These last couple of days has made me realize what an idiot I truly was to ever think I could live my life without you. Live my life without seeing you get happy at the silliest things, live my life knowing that I could home to you everyday. Today was a new beginning not just for you but for me as well and I for one never plan on taking you for granted ever again."

Addison smiled and said, "We almost lost it all didn't we? We just have to take it one day at a time so that we don't ever get into that position again."

Derek squeezed her shoulders and kissed her shoulder, "We will never get in that position again because I will never in my life take for granted what a truly remarkable woman I have by my side."

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Callie stormed out of the locker room with Mark hot on her heels. Miranda leaned against the counter with an interested face and said, "Everything alright Callie?"

Callie walked over to Miranda and said, "Nothing that a good lunch with a friend can't cure."

Miranda looked behind her to see Mark walking after her with a fury, "Are you sure you don't have plans?"

Callie turned around as she looked at Mark disgusted, "I'm positive. No one asked me if I wanted to have lunch with them so yes technically I'm free for lunch."

Miranda shrugged her shoulders reached for her purse, "Let's go then."

Callie smiled as Mark reached for her shoulder, "Callie, can we talk?"

Callie jerked her arm away and said, "Mark if we talk now, I will hurt you with some of the words I will say. Let's just leave it be for now. We will discuss this later, believe me we will discuss this."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Addison sat in the car next to him as the real estate agent droned on about the neighborhood and the amenities of the house they were about to see. Addison held onto Derek's hand as the lady continued to speak and she was massaging his knuckles while they were pulling into the first home.

"Drs. Shepherd?"

Derek grinned at the name and said, "Yes, how can we help you?"

The lady blushed at his attention and said, "We are coming up to the first townhouse and it's a 3 bedroom, 3 baths with a living room/dining room."

Addison nodded and said, "You were speaking of amenities before, what type comes with this house?"

The real estate lady rolled her eyes in disgust and said, "I was saying Dr. Shepherd that they boast of view of the lake from any home you purchase as well as they have a clubhouse which would be excellent for any social gatherings. They also have a massage parlor, a Jacuzzi, a spa and an exercise room."

Addison nodded pleased as she held hands with Derek as they walked towards the house. The real estate lady opened the door and shuffled them in as she was closing the door behind her.

Derek watched as the emotions crossed Addison's face as she surveyed the house. He always loved watching her face as she was so expressive and right now it was speaking volumes. She could inspire rage, desire, pity and love all with a simple glance from her face. It was telling him that they didn't need to look any further, that they had found the home they would begin their family in and start reconstructing all of the mistakes that he made in the past. He was so entranced in watching her face that he hadn't heard the real estate lady speaking from behind him.

"What do you think Dr. Shepherd?"

Derek spun around and faced the real estate agent who was looking at him with a rather annoyed expression as if she had been calling his name numerous times, "I asked what you thought of the home Dr. Shepherd?"

Derek flashed a winning smile and said, "We love it, we'll take it."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Callie stirred around her spoon around in the mashed potatoes and looked up at Miranda's amused face.

Miranda leaned forward, "So are you finally going to tell me why you're so pissed off at Sloan? Not that I don't think he doesn't deserve to have people enraged at him but I can't help but notice that you were doing so well this morning. When you guys came in this morning you were both grinning like idiots, now you can't stand him."

Callie nodded, "It's my fault really. George came in to ask me to go to lunch and I was just so pleased that he asked _me_ to go to lunch before he went off with his girlfriends that I was going to say yes when in walks McSteamy and pretends like we've had lunch plans all along."

Miranda laughed as she sipped on her iced tea, "He was jealous Callie. He didn't know how to react when he saw you talking with another guy so he reacted, typical male idiocy."

Callie crossed her arms, "That doesn't give him the right to make it look like I was leading George along. All he had to say was I needed to talk to you, damn it we are not in a serious relationship where he can feel entitled to throw jealous fits when I'm talking to my ex."

Miranda shrugged, "Maybe it is time for you to define your relationship with Mark. He can't go on acting jealous and throwing fits just because he doesn't know where you two guys stand. Maybe he wants more but doesn't know how to approach asking you for that so he acts out, you know how immature he is."

Callie nodded in agreement as she ate some vegetables and said, "You're right Miranda I have to define my relationship with Mark Sloan once and for all before he drives me crazy."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Mark walked into the cafeteria and sat down by himself as he ate his lunch alone. He had been so infuriated when he saw that she was seriously considering having lunch with George. They had just been together that morning, they had showered together and he made love to her against the shower wall. No, he hadn't made love to her; he had sex with her against the shower wall. That is what was confusing him about the whole thing; he couldn't define when they were having sex to making love because both left him wanting more. He didn't know what he wanted out of a relationship with Callie to make love to her every night or sleep with her or just be with her and it terrified him. To be the type of man that he was, always solitary never wondering about where his next lay would come from to find one woman on the first try he fulfilled all of those qualifications and was funny and smart was unbelievable.

As he was engrossed in thought he didn't hear Meredith clear her throat. Mark looked up with a smile and said, "Meredith, how are you doing? Sit down please."

Meredith smiled and sat down, "You never let me know how a real date with McSteamy would end. You left before we had a chance to discuss where the evening could've gone to and I'm just curious to see if you would live up to your nickname."

Mark leaned back, "You had five glasses of wine and even though I have a pretty bad reputation I didn't want you to think that you got cheated out of a night with me."

Meredith laughed, "Cheated? How would I've been cheated?"

Mark nodded cockily, "You would've been cheated. I can promise you the night we spend together, you won't need any alcohol. I'll be enough of an aphrodisiac that you won't require anything else to become intoxicated by me."

Meredith leaned forward, "Promises, promises. When are we going to see some results?"

Mark swore to himself, he always got into trouble when he let his cocky mouth speak for him. He had been flattered, he wouldn't deny it. He was usually the one chasing the women not vice versa he had to admit it made him happy. "Meredith, why don't I get back to you on that?"

* * *

Note: Last happy Addek chapter, next chapter we get into the angst/drama so they  
will be no more happy moments for awhile! 


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: Don't worry about Angtsy Addek, they'll be happy in the end. I always make sure that my Addek  
stories are happy in the end (even if I throw in a little drama/angst to shake up the mix).

**Chapter 20  
**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"So?"

Derek nodded, "So? So we have just purchased our first house since Manhattan. How do you feel about it?"

Addison laughed, "I was shocked when you told the woman we would buy it. She seemed like she didn't believe it."

Derek pulled her into his arms as they walked hand in hind into the trailer, "I just looked at your face while you were surveying the house and I knew that we didn't need to look any further. Did I ever tell you that's just one of the qualities that I always loved about you? Your face and I'm not just talking about how expressive you can be because you are expressive but I'm talking about how I can always look into your eyes and know the truth whether I want it or not, it's one of the things that I loved about you."

Addison leaned her head against his chest and said "It feels like it's really happening like you and I are finally coming together."

Derek nodded and smiled, "We were always together now we are just making it official to everyone else. The whole world needs to know that we are back together for good now."

He leaned into kiss her when she jumped back and ran into the bedroom. "Derek, I have to call Miranda and Callie. They can come out and celebrate with us tonight."

Derek laughed at her enthusiasm and let her run off to the bedroom while he went to the answering machine and checked their messages. He listened unconcerned to 5 messages about bills and changing long distance and had but all pressed delete when the last message had him pause in shock and disbelief, "This message is for Dr. Shepherd, this is Dr. Revelle, I'm concerned that you didn't schedule an appointment to discuss your latest test results. Please let me know first thing in the morning when you are going to schedule an appointment."  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Addison smiled as she talked to both Callie and Miranda on the phone. "Yes, its lovely you guys will have to come see it. Yes, I'm excited too about it."

Callie laughed and said, "I'm sure we'll love it but you need to get your rest. You know what they say about fatigue and lupus not to mention the fact that you're pregnant."

Addison smiled and said, "I'll take it easy _Mom_. Listen, I need to go I think I hear Derek tearing up things in the kitchen and since you pointed out that he can't cook I better go see what he's doing before he won't be able to go anywhere."

After hanging up the phone with her friends she walked into the kitchen to see Derek slamming drawers and swearing. "What's your problem? I thought you were in a good mood, was there a message that upset you?"

Derek shot her a glance then walked over to the answering machine and pushed play. Addison's smile fell from her face as she heard the message from Dr. Revelle wanting to discuss her latest test results. She sat down in the chair at the table and closed her eyes.

"Derek, do you really want to talk about this now?"

Derek leaned against the counter, "Talk about what? Our fight a couple of days ago must've not meant anything to you if you are still determined to ignore that you take care of yourself. I want you alive and by my side to enjoy any children we bring into this world, not on death's door because you brought my children into this world."

Addison flinched at the anger in his voice, "I never said that I didn't want to take care of myself. When I went to the doctor to get confirmation that I was pregnant he told me that I was a prime risk for toxemia because of my age, lupus and the fact that on the ultrasound….."

Derek sat down across from her, "The ultrasound showed what Addison? The ultrasound showed what? You certainly didn't tell me that there were any irregularities."

Addison closed her eyes and said, "There's a possibility that I'm carrying twins. The doctor said it was still too early to tell on the ultrasound but he thought he heard two heartbeats. It may just be an echo but we have to wait a couple more months. If it was true then I'm at risk for toxemia because of my age, my disease and the fact that I could be carrying twins."

Derek swore and stood up pacing, "And when were you going to tell me that your life may still be in danger? What were you going to do internalize it and then I had to wait for you to die although being ignorant of the fact that you chose to make this decision without me. Without even telling me, that's not right Addison and you know it!"

Addison closed her eyes as the tears leaked out, "I didn't want to worry you until I knew for sure that I was pregnant with twins. The toxemia isn't even diagnosed yet nor is the fact that I might be pregnant with twins so why should I tell you something when I don't even have confirmation myself that I was going to happen, I just didn't want to worry you. I promise you that I will take every precaution to ensure that I keep to the ob/gyn's orders but until I have a confirmed diagnosis then I won't stop living my life or pretending that these children are a burden."

Derek walked towards her and said, "Then what if I stop living my life with you? I'll walk away from you unless you go to the doctor and ensure that you aren't in any danger. Addison the love that I have for you knows no bounds and the fact that you are nonchalant about your place in my life just makes me hate myself even more. I need you to understand your importance in my life and how important it is that you not forsake _your _health just so we can have children. I don't want you like that; I never wanted you to feel that I would put any child of ours in front of our health."  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Mark was pulling off his scrubs and pulling on his jeans when she entered the locker room. He swore to himself as he felt her enter the room and the question plagued him, why was it that he wasn't even weeks into this relationship and already he knew her presence without even having to see her. He knew it was her because he was now attuned to her body.

Callie smirked as she walked up to the locker next to him and said, "I was hoping to catch you in here."

Mark smiled as he closed his door shut and turned to her, "Are you ready to go?"

Callie crossed her arms and said, "You really think after everything you put me through today we can just leave home together and everything will be okay? Did you forget what happened just before lunch?"

Mark sat down on the bench across from him, "What do you want from me Callie? I'm trying really hard here and I need you to meet me halfway."

Callie looked at him in shock, "You are trying to what Mark? You are trying to what? We've had a good couple of days, some great times together but I need to know where we stand. I could really fall for you, hell what am I saying? I'm already falling for you but you keep sending me mixed signals and I don't know where we are going. One moment we are together and then your asking out Meredith and then the next moment I was going to lunch with George and you start throwing me a jealous fit."

Mark leaned back and said, "I'm sorry that I've been leading you on."

Callie laughed, "I've been leading myself on so there's no reason to apologize. I guess we can call it an end here and now right?"

Mark stood up and pulled her in his arms, "I don't want to call an end to us, can't we just go back to the way it was we just woke up in each other's arms and there was no emotional involvement? I don't want to lose you, now when I just found you. God, when I came here I swore that I would fight for Addison until the end and then I met you and everything in my life was turned up on its ear. You came in when I wasn't looking and you messed with my mind and I don't know how to let you go."

Callie felt the tears come to her eyes, "Then make a choice Mark to not let me go. It's either me or nothing; I could want to be with you for the rest of my life but only if I'm the _only _one in your life and I want you to be sure of that fact too."

She pulled back and looked back at him as she closed the door, "I'll be waiting Mark. Either way I'll be waiting, don't keep me waiting too long."  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Next Morning

It had been eerily quiet at the Shepherd household as both worked together in silence towards a common goal, packing all of their belongings to move into their new home. Derek had refused to even discuss their fight of last night, instead choosing to focus on what he was happy about which was moving into a new house with his wife. Addison on the other hand was sulking in between packing boxes. The majority of her items were already packed and just had to be moved out of storage and into the new location. She tried to engage Derek in conversation on various occasions but he would shut her down. She had finally given up and ensured that they stayed on separate ends of the trailer with, which its space was difficult to accomplish.

"Derek?"

Derek stopped packing and looked up at her with a question as she struggled to describe what she wanted to say so he looked down and away from her. "Derek?"

He looked up again and exhaled sharply and sat down on the edge of the couch and motioned for her to sit down which she did and turned to him with an apology in her eye. "I love you Derek."

Derek nodded and stood up and said, "Addison, I love you and that's why this is hard for me. If your life is indeed in danger, the last thing I want is for you to risk it anymore with our children. Does that mean I don't want our children? No, it means I want my wife in one piece to enjoy the birth of our children, it means I don't want to be a widowed husband trying to raise our children on my own."

Addison smirked softly and said, "I don't think we have a problem determining whether we love each other or not. What is tearing us apart now happens to be something that's important to me and irrational as it sounds the idea of not being able to give you a child makes me feel unworthy of you…."

Derek walked over and started to put a finger on her lips which Addison stepped back from and said, "Derek, I know that you and I are both guilty of abandoning our marriage, whether it be at different points or not, we abandoned the marriage and after I got my emotional stability back, I came to realize that. The love that you and I have for each other is not something that we can encounter everyday and it would just be multiplied if we had a child together. The possibility, because that is all it is at this moment is a possibility that we can't do that together makes me feel like more of a failure than I already feel. I did so many things wrong in our marriage and this is a chance for me to show you how happy I am that we are giving us another try."

Derek exhaled and pulled her into his arms and kissed her softly on the forehead and said, "I'm afraid and I don't know how to stop being afraid. When I got with Meredith it was because it was easy. She didn't come with complications; she didn't come with history like I have with you. I think at one point I realized that complications or not, you were the love of my life and I decided to give us another try. Another try that I asked for which admittedly I half-assed gave nothing to. I don't know how to even begin to apologize for that but I know I need to. When Mark came to me and shoved a mirror in my face by way of telling me the truth of how I abandoned you, I had to take a moment and realize that I was just as guilty if not more of everything that happened in our marriage. That was not an easy pill to swallow as it was on the eve of signing divorce papers to the woman who I've shared the majority of my life with. The few seconds before you told me you were pregnant, were the happiest of my life and it's selfish but there it is. The idea that I was finally going to get the chance to fix Derek and Addison was something I always wanted and it was going to give me a chance to finally pay you back for all the hurt and devastation I once caused you. When I found out you were pregnant, don't get me wrong I was ecstatic but the fear came back because I was afraid we had another barrier in between us from becoming the couple we once were and now finding out that your life may be in danger if you carry these children to term just makes me feel more like an ass."

Addison felt the tears start to fall as she held onto him tightly and said, "Why can't we do both Derek? Why can't we fix Derek and Addison and be happy about the chance to become parents together?"

Derek pulled back and said, "Because I'm afraid that being happy about the chance to become parents equals being happy that my wife's life is in danger and that's something I can't do. I'm sorry Addison."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

At the Hospital

Callie had come into her shift early partly to encounter Miranda and talk about Addison's new house and her latest blow out with Mark and then to discuss strategies on how she could start avoiding Mark for the rest of the day which really was a bad idea considering he was the first face she saw after she got her coffee.

"Mark?"

Mark winced and nodded as he sipped his coffee and motioned to a table and offered her a seat. Callie shook her head and put her hands on the edge of the chair and said, "Mark, I can't do this, not if you don't have a decision for me."

Mark smirked and said, "So what now, we can't have a cup of coffee without it turning into a relationship?"

Callie rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, "So when in doubt always go back to the jackass routine when all else fails and you don't know how to act?"

Mark leaned forward and swore softly, "How much do I hate that you can always see right through me?"

Callie rolled her eyes and sat down, "What did you want to discuss Dr. Sloan?"

Mark leaned back and said, "I don't think that we should have this conversation here, why don't we go out to dinner and discuss this over a bottle of champagne and…."

Callie sent him a smirk similar to the one he had sent her earlier and said, "And then we end up in your hotel room and nothing ever gets resolved?"

Mark shrugged and said, "We could always go to your hotel room."

Callie shook her head in negation, "Sorry no can do seeing as how I moved out and am moving into my own place."

Mark flinched at this and said, "I'm sorry I had no idea you had plans to move out."

Callie nodded sadly and said, "I know which is why I thought we needed to talk but from what I see you are more than happy to continue with our situation with no emotional involvement right?"

Mark closed his eyes and opened them slowly, "When I'm with you, I feel things that I've never felt with any other woman. I feel happiness and I feel complete and it scares the hell out of me so you want to call me immature, fine I'm immature but I'd rather be immature than having my heart out there and risking a chance that it could be broken like Addison's was."

Callie stood up and said, "So that's it for you. You are scared because you saw how Addison was hurt and you don't want to put yourself out there. Well, I just want you to know that you are missing out on what could be a great relationship just because of fear."

Callie leaned over and kissed Mark on the forehead and walked away.

* * *

Dude, so prepare yourself because next chapter we get into the last angsty part before I wrap up this story. I finished it last  
weekend and with the exception of re-reading my revisions at least 12 times than it should be finished. I also wrote an epilogue  
which I thought was pretty cute and it focuses on my favorite trio so keep checking your inboxes for updates near you. 


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: So umm, fast forward five months and you will be up to date. No, I didn't miss a chapter, I decided  
to add some time so we can pick up where we left off. Last time, Callie/Mark went their separate ways  
because Mark was being too jerky to Callie when he obviously wanted to be with her. Addek were in  
turmoil and this time not for lack of love (yes!) but for fear. Derek was worried about losing Addison to  
the pregnancy, lupus and other illnesses and Addison was worried about feeling incomptent to love him.  
I try to fall back into the story where we left off.

**Chapter 21  
**&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Five Months Later

Addison had been living in the house with Derek for five months without real communication. They were cordial of course but she kept conversations to a minimum as she didn't want to cause another disruption which would inevitably lead into another fight, one she wasn't prepared to have if not necessary. She had received the test results earlier this week and they were positive, she was pregnant with twins. The first months of her pregnancy had gone by smoothly but if it hadn't been for the friendships of Callie and Miranda pulling her through, slumber parties, lunches at the office or random shopping sprees, she didn't know how she would've made it. She thought that Derek hated her from the way he acted and after they had moved into their townhouse together she thought that could have a fresh start but Derek still had pulled back from her. She had thought at first to take the master bedroom with Derek but after the first night when he had slept on the couch she knew that their problems were still serious and that he wasn't even open to communication. She had moved into the other bedroom and spent the long, lonely nights by herself. She cried herself to sleep most of the nights and the other nights she cradled her rapidly growing belly in her arms and talked to the twins. She still had no idea what she would name them and it wasn't like she got any input from Derek who ever since there stand-down all those months ago in the trailer, hadn't acted concerned about anything having to do with the twins. She had slipped into a one piece dress when she was walking down the stairs with her hand rubbing the lower part of her back. Derek looked up when she came in and walked to the table and set down a cup of tea in front of her. She smiled in thanks and walked in and sat down at the table. It was almost as if he had separated her from the pregnancy, he would do everything for her but anything having to do with the oncoming birth he wouldn't do. She knew it was irrational but he strongly wanted her to understand that he still preferred having her living other than watching his wife prepare for her possible demise with the birth of their children.

She was putting two spoonfuls of sugar in her tea when he sat down next to her. It was unusual for him to remain while she was eating her breakfast seeing as how he seemed like lately he was doing his best to avoid her at all times. And now with her ever burgeoning belly it was a struggle to get to the hospital on her own which took her an extra thirty minutes. He cleared his throat and said, "What did the doctor's say?"

Addison grimaced now she knew why he was still here. He wanted to know confirmation of what the doctor had said when he had seen the calendar circled on the date last week. Ever since he had gotten her refusal to put her life in front of their children he had been pulling back from her and engrossing himself more and more in his work. Addison looked up and said, "The doctor confirms that they are twins. A boy and a girl."

She lets that fall without comment knowing that he didn't care either way. She had resigned herself to the fact that there was a possibility she wouldn't make it through this pregnancy as all of the factors lined up to show that she had the disease of toxemia and Derek's interest in her waned daily. Callie and Miranda were pulling their hair out trying to get her to stop talking negatively like that but she had felt it ever since the doctor had told her that she had a good chance to have toxemia with all of the criteria falling into place and matching her current state.

Derek closed his eyes, "Have you thought of names?"

Addison shrugged, "I thought of names but I didn't want to give out any possibilities until I discussed it with you but since you don't want to speak anymore…."

Derek swore under his breath as he opened his eyes and glared at her, "You mean that you were waiting on your death to put the whole burden on naming the children on me."

Addison closed her eyes, "Why are you putting words in my mouth? All I said is that you and I don't converse like we used to and this is a decision that should be made by both parents and not only the mother."

Derek stood up and grabbed her to him, "Maybe it's because they are your words. Don't you know that every night I stay outside your door just to hear you breathing? Just to hear the gentle respiration of your in, out and what do I hear when I listen? Or the only other times when you are not sobbing which tears my heart in two, I hear you tell _our_ children that you are preparing to not see them after they are born, how the hell is that supposed to make me feel? I'm fighting this fight alone, you shut down and shut me out and don't let me in."

Addison started to cry and said, "When I tried each time to let you in, I got tired of being shot down. I can only handle so many times you refuse to have me by your side. You slept on the couch so as to not be in the same room with me, how is that supposed to make me feel? How do you want me to react?"

Derek swore, "If you are talking about our first full night in the house, I had a neuro-consult and two brain surgeries in the morning. I didn't want to be mean and disturb you with the fact that I couldn't sleep with your snoring if I was expected to give my all to the hospital the next day." Derek finished the sentence on a laugh.

Addison laughed through the tears at the absurdity of their fight and said, "Derek, I need you. I need you so much and each time I think that we are about to make a breakthrough, you shut me out and I feel so alone. I'm scared because if there's a possibility that I am sick, I want your assurance that you'll be by my side. Please give me that assurance at least."

Derek pulled her into his arms, "I'm scared Addi. Damn it, I'm terrified and you aren't helping it any by making me believe that you are giving up if you are diagnosed with toxemia. You are one of the best neonatal specialists in your field and you are taking it as gospel that you won't live to see the birth of our children I find that completely unacceptable. First of all for the fact that you save children on a daily basis and second of all because you are the best in your field so even if you can't deliver them yourself you can create a game plan to ensure they stay healthy and finally because you are Addison Montgomery Shepherd and damn it you can do anything you set your mind to and I can't fathom being without you!"

Addison pulled back and cradled his face in her hands. She kissed his forehead, his cheek and finally his mouth, "I'm so sorry that I've made you doubt everything please understand that you are my priority beyond our children. I don't know why I have these negative thoughts running through my head but I also don't know how to stop them maybe it's because I've been there and I know how things can go horribly wrong. I'm just being a pessimist but I need your help please. Please help me, because I don't want to die and leave you and our children."

Derek held her to him and rubbed her back soothingly, "I promise you Addi, I'm not letting you leave me. I don't think I could stand it if you did."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Miranda sat across from Callie and looked at her in disbelief, "So you just went out with this guy from radiology?"

Callie shrugged, "I couldn't wait forever for Mark to come and decide he wanted to be with me. I gave him three weeks and the next thing I hear in the gossip mill is that he dated a woman whose breasts he augmented. Besides, I had to get on with my life sometime. I think I was in love with Mark and I don't want to be one of those women who sulk forever after a never going be, I have to focus on my future sans Mark."

Miranda nodded, "Well you are right about that, although have you seen Mark lately? From what I heard he hasn't been dating anyone and he's been walking around here for the last couple of months like a whipped puppy dog."

Callie rolled her eyes, "Don't tell me that Miranda. You know how I feel about him; I just wanted to be sure that he felt the same way. He couldn't give me that assurance so we are through but if I keep hearing that he's walking around as broken as I am, I'm going to go up to him and tell him I miss him and I need him which isn't good for either one of us. Mark and I are two critically flawed people who came together in a flurry of passion, when the passion burnt out which it hadn't we would've still been two flawed people and I was ready to move past the passion and see if the two flawed people couldn't have had a happily ever after of their own. Maybe it was just a pipe dream, but it was my pipe and my dream so I had to let go of it, Mark gave me no other choice."

Miranda nodded in agreement deciding to leave the touchy subject alone with her friend and instead decided to focus on her other priority, Addison "When's the next time that we are going to see Addison?"

Callie shrugged and said, "I've been waiting on you to tell me when is a good day we can go visit her together. We've been taking her out shopping but I get the feeling that she doesn't really want to be there as she's so depressed all the time. She acts like she's waiting on her turn to die or something and it depresses me because I love her Miranda. I never dealt with my mother's death well and ever since I heard Addison has lupus I want her to be one of those success cases you hear about and not, my mother and my best friend died from complications of lupus. I just don't understand how she's taking the fact that she's pregnant with twins as a death sentence, do you?"

Miranda closed her eyes, "I think it's a combination of the pregnancy and her lupus. You know that there's depression in lupus and with the hormones from the pregnancy not to mention that she just found out that she's pregnant with twins who have twice the hormones and the testosterone, with all of that going on inside, she must be going out of her mind. Not to mention, McIdiot." Miranda had gone back to calling Derek, McIdiot after she saw the way he was treating her friend.

Callie murmured agreement and said, "Why the hell doesn't Derek act better then? I know he's worried about her changing moods but shutting himself off from her is not the way to go. She needs him now more than ever and he's using this time to pull away. It pisses me off because in a way I see how she ended up turning to Mark. If a woman invests herself in a relationship she would like to believe that she's not going at it alone and especially not when she's pregnant, which is all Derek is leading her to do by all the coldness on his part."

Miranda said, "Maybe, I'll have my husband talk to him. It might do wonders for his attitude towards Addison. I know that he's scared and in his own right I don't blame him. Addison has changed, she has become more fatalistic and maybe it's a side effect of the job she does, maybe seeing that she has to save so many babies and lose so many mothers, whatever it is Derek needs to learn to empathize instead of criticize."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Addison laid in bed as Derek moved the last of her suitcases back to the master bedroom. Derek dropped the last suitcase on the floor and then jumped into bed with her, "Can I just say that this is the thing I've been waiting to do for months. You don't know how many times I wanted to drag you back in here where you belong, by my side always."

Addison smiled at him as he leaned over and kissed her cheek and said, "You just rest now. Richard already has you on an easier schedule so I don't want to see you moving from this bed. I'm here to take care of you and our twins."

Derek nodded as he watched her eyes droop down and she started to yawn. She curled up next to him with a smile, "Derek?"

Derek looked down at her and said, "What is it sweetheart?"

Addison closed her eyes as she was yawning and reached for his face with her hand. Derek grabbed her hand in his and placed it on his cheek. The warmth emanating from her fingers made him draw closer to her, "What did you need Addi?"

Addison curved her palm around his cheek and then let it fall, "I just need you to love me Derek. Love me and love our children."

Derek swore as he pulled her into his arms. "The love I have for you is eternal and I still love our children just as dearly as I love you. I just don't want to lose you. God, I still remember all those months ago when I was fighting you to get out of this marriage and then I had to fight to get back in. I just don't want to lose you and that's what has been frightening me since I heard that message on our answering machine all those months ago. The thought of life without Addison Forbes Montgomery Shepherd is just too much for me to bear. I can't think about it, I won't."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Callie sat in her office reviewing her latest surgery schedule for the next day when the knock on the door came. She walked to the door and opened it up and saw Miranda pushing Mark in with her fists.

Callie stood up and turned to Miranda, "What's he doing here?"

Miranda pushed him in the room and shut the door behind her, "This idiot was messing with one of the patients _again_. He was provoking the husband who asked what kind of plastic surgery his wife wanted, he started talking about perhaps he should consider breasts because she was pretty lacking in that area."

Callie turned to Mark in shock who had sat down in the chair in front of her desk with a pout.

Callie shook her head, "I don't condone what he's doing but I don't understand why you brought him here."

Miranda stared at her, "Don't you? He's been walking around her like an abused puppy dog ever since you two broke up or whatever it is you call it and normally I've been able to calm him down but he keeps pushing and I don't know if he's trying to get kicked out of here or what."

Callie turned to her in disbelief, "I still don't understand why you brought him here."

Mark looked at Miranda, "I don't understand that either."

Miranda slapped him on the back of the head and turned to Callie, "He wants you, and he doesn't know how to say he wants you so he lashes out. It is very elementary and childish but that's what Mark is all about. You are the one who he cares about so _maybe_ he will listen to you."

Miranda closed the door behind her and Callie turned to leave when she heard the lock click. She had locked them in the room together. "Miranda, that's not funny. Open this door."

Callie turned around and looked at Mark in disgust, "She locked us in."

Mark shrugged and said, "So it doesn't matter to me."

Callie sat on the edge of the desk and said, "What the hell is your problem anyway? You've been walking around like this for the past five months and you haven't done anything constructive but continue to piss people off."

Mark laughed and said, "And you've been the social butterfly. Each time I go to Joe's he tells me about another guy he's seen you with. So how do you like this new lifestyle?"

Callie laughed as she looked into his eyes, "Don't tell me. You're jealous."

Mark stood up and grabbed her by the arms, "What the hell did you expect? I have to see you leaving the hospital with the radiologist, the x-ray tech all of them and you're smiling. Why do you do that when you know that those smiles used to be for me and belong only to me?"

Callie closed her eyes as she felt his arms grasping her shoulders, "You know why, I asked you to give us a chance. I was starting to feel emotions for you Mark, things I haven't felt in along while. I was falling in love with you and you were busy trying to ensure that you didn't fall in love with me. You set the rules of this game, I'm just following them."

Mark released her shoulders as she opened her eyes and gaze upon his handsome face as he paced back and forth. "What if I told you that I had become determined to change my mind that I wanted to try to have a serious relationship with this girl that I can't get out of my mind or my heart?"

Callie stood up and said, "Are you serious?"

Mark nodded, "I've never been more serious in my life. I want you to be with me and with me only. I get enraged every time I see you smiling and laughing with anyone that isn't me and I don't see this feeling going away anytime soon and to be honest, I don't want it to."

Callie smiled at said, "So is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

Mark pulled her into his arms, "It's a good thing, a very good thing." He kissed her for the first time in five months and for the first time in those five months he admitted to himself that he felt like he was coming home and he was happy to be back.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Richard? What are you doing here?"

Richard walked into Derek and Addison's home and looked around for signs of Addison. Ever since they bought this town home Richard had foolishly believed that this was the end to all of their problems and they could finally settle down and enjoy the time together before the birth of their baby, they could put Mark and Meredith behind them and focus on their future together. However, it felt like the imminent birth of their baby was tearing them further apart then they had ever been with the move to Seattle.

Richard looked at Derek and said, "Can I sit down?"

Derek nodded and said, "Of course, please forgive my manners sit down Richard. Addi is still upstairs sleeping. I just got her asleep and my mind is still upstairs with her and sometimes I forget my manners whenever she's involved."

Richard sat down and said, "I was worried about the two of you. I see so little of you both at the hospital and now especially that Addison's working reduced hours. When I do see the two of you together you always manage to avoid each other or both look like you've been through a battle, now I know that it may seem like it's none of my business but please tell me what's going on."

Derek sat down, "Due to the lupus and her age she was at risk for a lot of diseases that are fatal. I've been trying to get her to understand that she's more important to me than any children that we could have together and that we always have the option of adopting if her life would be too much at risk to carry any children to term. She's determined that she's going to have our children even at the cost of her life, and I just found out that she's pregnant with twins and there's a very real chance that she could have toxemia."

Richard closed his eyes, "Is that why the two of you have been so distant? I feel both of your sides but you have to know that Addison is now no longer the neonatal surgeon that knows her case and how to proceed nor the wife that lives only for you, she's a mother and as a mother her life comes second to that of her children, you just have to accept that. Even though I know you're still worried about her."

Derek shrugged, "Partly, I've been worried about her. She seems to believe that she's dying or could be in danger of dying and that there's nothing she can do or want to do but accept it. I've been so frustrated that I told her either fight for your life or don't worry about being with me. She took that to mean that I didn't want her or the twins and has ever since gone on a campaign to separate herself from me. It hurts me the most that she would extinguish the connection that has always kept us alive before to focus on being a mother with twins."

Richard leaned forward in shock, "Twins? She's pregnant with twins?"

Derek nodded, "A boy and a girl she told me. I would be more ecstatic if we could get through her next doctor's appointment with the assurance that she doesn't have toxemia or that her life isn't in danger. When I think of that it makes me scared. If she has toxemia then that means that her life and that of our children are in danger."

Richard nodded and said, "I'm glad that you at least sound better in reference to her, how's your relationship otherwise?"

Derek shrugged, "It would be doing a lot better if I had my wife back, the wife that was only focused on herself and our marriage. I know that it sounds selfish but that's how I feel. There are days I swear I wish that she had never gotten pregnant."

Addison gasped from the top of the stairs as she fell to her knees after hearing what Derek said. Richard and Derek rushed up the stairs and fell to their knees as Richard checked her pulse while Derek cradled her in his arms while calling her name loudly.

Richard looked at the terrified man in front of him and the woman he always loved like a daughter cradled in his arms and knew that drastic action had to be taken. He turned to him and said, "Derek, we have to get her to the hospital now."

* * *

So as you can see, I'm not wasting anytime into getting into the second half of this story. We have about 7-8 more chapters  
to go before I wrap this one up with an epilogue. So stay tuned and thanks for all my faithful repliers (is that a word?) they  
mean alot. 


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: I guess it wasn't very nice to to dump you back into the story having fast-forwarded five months but I  
wanted to get this out before I became too lazy and forgot about it all together. Not, also the next umm 6-7  
chapters are chocked full of angst/drama/anger, you name its in here but in the end we get happy Addek so  
be patient:)

**WIP22  
**

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Meredith had been on call for too many hours straight for her to remember. All she knew was that she was ready for her home and a good night's sleep. It had taken her some time to get over Derek Shepherd but when she had she had done some self-evaluating and realized that her self destructive course wasn't productive she knew she had to make changes. She had gotten her life back into line and even started dating Finn again after explaining that she had been going through a rough time. They were working on their three month anniversary and she couldn't be happier. That was why when she had checked her watch and it read 2 am in the morning that she shrugged and waited for the next patient.

"Patient is eight months pregnant, has lupus BP is 80/40. It could be a possible case of toxemia."

Meredith listened to the details that the ER people droned on as she recognized that this was obviously a case that Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd needed to consult on. She started to bark out orders and say that she needed to get Addison Shepherd into the ER. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at her like she had lost her mind. She wanted to ask what the hell was wrong when she looked down at her patient and realized that she was looking at Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd. She looked up as Derek tried to coming rushing into the ER after her and started shouting out questions about the state of his wife.

"Meredith, what is going on?" Meredith looked at the fear on the face of the man that she once thought was the love of her life but now all she saw was a man terrified of losing his wife. She put her still sore heart away and focused on the broken man in front of her and said, "Dr. Shepherd, we need for you to wait outside there's nothing you can do here."

Richard pulled him out of the room as Miranda was coming in and started barking orders out at Meredith, "Get Dr. Revelle on the phone now."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Callie came running upon the scene as saw Derek on the floor. She bent down and touched his shoulder gently, "Derek, we just heard. What's going on, what's wrong with Addison?"

Derek looked up at her heartbroken, "She just fainted at the top of the stairs and I don't know why she was there, I told her to rest, but I guess she heard voices and wanted to see who it was."

Callie bent down and said, "Why don't you get up off the ground? Let's get you in the chair."

Mark came up behind her and said, "Derek, come on man you have to get off this ground."

Mark helped Derek up and put him in the chair and turned to Callie, "Can you get him some coffee sweetheart?"

Callie nodded and ran off while Mark kept touching Derek on the shoulder, "Derek, stay with me man. You have to stay with me."

Derek nodded and said, "Sweetheart?"

Mark looked at him in confusion, "Huh?"

Derek nodded down to the hall where he had seen Callie go and said, "Sweetheart? You call her sweetheart now?"

Mark grimaced. He didn't really feel like getting into his personal life with his ex-best friend but he knew that Derek was just trying to distract himself from focusing on the fact that Addison was in there and the doctor's were trying to save her life and that of his children so he decided to help by giving him something to talk about. "Yea, I just asked Callie for us to have a serious relationship."

Derek nodded obviously not caring one way or the other and said, "That's good, Addison will be pleased."

Mark smiled to himself. Yes, that was he thought in everything, doing what he was trying to do make Addison happy. Callie came running up and handed him the cup of coffee. She sat down next to him and said, "Now, can you please tell me what happened."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Miranda came out of the ER with her heart heavy. She didn't know how she would tell Derek. She didn't even want to think about how she would say anything anyway. She turned as Richard came out of the room and stood beside her. He put a hand on her shoulder, "We have to tell him."

Miranda shook her head, "You have to tell him, I can't look into his eyes."

Richard crossed his arms, "What do you think that I can do it? I don't want to have to be the one who tells him the results."

Dr. Revelle came up besides them and said, "The test results are in its toxemia. I feared this all along as you know but we are going to have to get the babies out now if we want her to be able to survive. I need a room to schedule a caesarean as well as the consent forms signed as soon as possible."

Miranda nodded but then said, "But isn't it too soon to take the babies? If Addison wakes up and knows that she could've carried the children any longer she'll never forgive us…"

Dr. Revelle shook his head, "If she doesn't have those babies removed via caesarean in the next couple of hours she won't be around to forgive or punish anyone because she'll be dead."

Richard nodded, "Well we have to tell her husband."

Miranda nodded, "Dr. Revelle, follow me this way please."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Mark had his arms around Callie holding her back from saying something to the already devastated Derek. After Derek spoke about how they had worked on their marriage together and he had even moved her back into their bedroom Callie had been beaming, however the smile on her face quickly changed to one of anger after he confessed the talk he had with Richard and how it was obvious that Addison had been privy to that conversation which it was precipitated her fall. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her on the side of her forehead, "Please let this go for now. I'll help you kick his ass later, after we know Addison is okay."

Callie nodded in agreement and laid her head on Mark's chest, "She has lupus for god's sake and he can't just go around saying anything he knows that she's fragile and could possibly be in earshot."

Mark nodded and said, "She's your friend but she's his everything let's cut him some slack. Now, I know that it sounds like a pot calling the kettle black after everything I've done to him but I know that no one in this world loves Addison more than him. Addison is his everything."

Callie leaned back and looked at him with a smile. She kissed him softly and then said, "Wow you really are growing up. You need to look at yourself in the mirror."

Mark rolled his eyes and said, "Wait here comes Richard and the Doctor, maybe they can tell us what is going on with Addison."

Callie spun around and said, "What's going on Miranda? How is Addison?"

Miranda walked up and hugged Callie as they turned to listen to the doctor. Derek walked up to him and said, "My wife how's my wife."

Dr. Revelle turned his attention the obviously frantic man, "Listen what I have to tell you Dr. Shepherd is not good news. I'm afraid the tests we just ran confirm that she does have toxemia. We need to go in and take the twins out now and focus on getting your wife well."

Derek closed his eyes, "What kind of chance does she have?"

Dr. Revelle smiled nicely and said, "If we can take the twins tonight, she should have an excellent chance."

Derek nodded and said, "Then let's proceed and do the surgery now, there is no question." Miranda nodded and handed him the release forms to sign when Meredith came up behind them. Derek sat in the chair to start signing and Meredith tapped Miranda on the shoulder.

Miranda stepped away and pulled Meredith with her, "What is it Grey?"

Meredith flinched and said, "Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd is awake and she's demanding to see both her doctor and her husband."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Callie had been silent ever since the doctors had said that they were going in to take the twins out and Mark was starting to get worried. Callie had never been the type of woman who was silent when she had a problem she usually vocalized it so to see her huddled up in ball in his office was frightening him to say the least.

Mark walked over and pulled her into his arms, "I know that you are worried about Derek and Addison but they've been through worse, they'll pull through."

Callie nodded against his chest and said, "I never told you this, I've never told anyone what I'm about to tell you besides Addison and Miranda."

Mark squeezed her to him knowing that she obviously felt the need to relieve herself of the burden that she was carrying that was affecting her so much. He pulled her in his arms as she started to open up about the cause of her burden, "My mother was diagnosed with lupus when I was in high school…Before she was diagnosed she was this wonderfully vibrant woman but after the disease it just took too much out of her and she didn't want to fight anymore. She died shortly before I left high school, I swore that I would fight this disease but now watching Addison I feel this same sense of helplessness as before and I know that with all the love and caring I have in my heart, it's not enough and I hate this feeling of being helpless."

Mark kissed the top of her head and exhaled slowly, "Thanks."

Callie looked up at him in confusion, "What are you thanking me for?"

Mark smiled and said, "For letting me in and for allowing me to be a part of your life and your thoughts and your fears, I don't think that I've been this honored in a long time."

Callie nodded and said, "Can you just hold me Mark please?"

Mark nodded and kissed her on the top of the head, "Always."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"No way. It's too soon." Derek closed his eyes and opened them with tears streaming down his cheeks after listening to her adamant refusal, "Addison this isn't a joke, your life is at stake."

Addison looked at Dr. Revelle and said, "What will happen if we take the babies now as opposed to waiting for a couple more weeks?"

Dr. Revelle, "I won't give my authorization for you to continue to put your life in danger by offering you alternatives. Toxemia, once diagnosed is a deadly disease and doesn't require time to process other options; it needs to be handled immediately otherwise I can't guarantee the lives of both you and your children."

Derek crossed his arms and said, "Please Addison, I'm begging you. Don't continue this; your life is in danger, you know that the doctor is telling the truth."

Addison closed her eyes as she started crying, "Derek, I need you to understand, they are still too premature to be out of the womb. I've given this same advice thousands of time, if they can just stay inside for a couple more weeks then they will have a 45 chance of being able to survive as opposed to if they are taken now with the percentage rate of survival drops 25."

Dr. Revelle nodded and said, "I'm sorry but I don't know how to explain what will happen to the twins the longer you wait to have the caesarean, all I know is that your survival rates are going to drop dramatically the longer you allow this disease to fester. The toxemia that you have is deadly to both you and the twins and you have to take drastic measures…you're a doctor and you above all else know how precious your life is."

Richard cleared his throat and said, "So then when can we schedule the surgery."

Addison shook her head in negation, "We are not scheduling any surgery. I'm making a decision right now and I decide to carry these children for at least two more weeks and then at least they will have a better chance for survival, that's my final word."

Derek shook his head, "I've already signed the consent papers, and we don't need your approval to continue with the surgery."

Addison started crying as she looked at Derek and Richard, "Derek, if you take the twins before giving them a fair chance of fighting, I will never forgive you. I will never forgive you."  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Callie walked up to the door and waited. She didn't want to intrude on what was obviously a private moment so she sat in the chair across from her room and waited. Miranda came out first and she obviously looked aggravated and exhausted. Callie stood up and walked over to Miranda and said, "What's going on?"

Miranda sat down next to her and said, "What isn't going on? Addison woke up and is now objecting to having the surgery. She wants to wait two more weeks."

Callie swore, "If she waits two more weeks…."

Richard came out of the room after watching Derek argue unsuccessfully with Addison about her choice to postpone the surgery. He looked at Derek and felt nothing but sympathy as the proud man all but begged on his hands and knees for her to put her life first to no avail. He had removed himself from the room before he went toe to toe with the young doctor that he loved like one of his own daughter. When he looked at her two friends sitting outside her room anxiously he knew that it was up to them to make the difference, "If she waits two more weeks, she won't make it. Look, you two are her friends and she may not listen to her husband so I'm counting on the both of you to talk some sense into her. She needs you guys to make her realize that her life has to be more important."

Callie shook her head, "Richard as her friends we also have to realize that this is her wish, her wish is to be a mother and it's been her desire since she found out the moment she was pregnant. She was prepared to be a mother with or without the influence of Derek in her life. She's always talked to Miranda and me about how excited she was about becoming a mother and how she always knew how beautiful the mix of her and Derek's genes would make the perfect children. She's been so excited and she won't listen to reason, she's a mother before anything else."

Richard closed his eyes, "I can't watch her try to die, she's preparing herself for the inevitable and I for one think it's inexcusable that you as her friends are just going to sit aside and let her die. Do something, anything."

* * *

Just bringing on the angst, but don't worry I'm all about the Addek. I never imagined this story ending any other  
way so while it might be a little scary right now, they will fall back into line(eventually). 


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: I like angst, I never thought I'd say it but I like good, old-fashioned angst as look as it isn't too  
crazy (i.e third-party loves) so forgive me for kicking up the angst another notch. Don't worry I would  
never, never, **never** leave Derek without Addison raising kids! That's not even a possiblity:)

P.S. Y para Juliana, solo para ti, la hice una pequena historia entre Callie y Mark porque a mi tambien me gusta mucho  
esta pareja! Gracias por su palabras bonitas!

And now in English, I wrote a off-shot fic between Callie/Mark called Light Years Away if you  
go to my homepage on Fanfiction you can read it. It has 2 parts and an epilogue so if you get a chance go read it and let  
me know your thoughts! Thanks.

**WIP23**

_&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&_

"Promise me." Addison looked at Derek with tear filled eyes begging for understanding, the doctor had prescribed her a mild sedative to calm her nerves but she was fighting with all of her strength until she had the assurance that while she slept her wishes wouldn't be violated.

Derek held her hand in his looking at the woman who filled his days and nights with happiness. He didn't know how to give her what she was asking for which was permission from him to close her eyes and possibly never wake up all so he could be a father. Derek shook his head as if trying to clear his thoughts, "Addison, this is your life. I know you are worried about the babies but if there's a chance that I can save you I will do it and I won't promise you anything otherwise because it would make me a liar."

Addison started to cry as she jerked her hand away from his and her head started rolling side to side in fear. "Derek, please. I want our children to have the best possible chances for survival if we take them out now they may not make it. If we can just give them two more weeks, they at least deserve that much of a chance."

Derek stood up and looked at his wife in disbelief. He had swore to himself that he wasn't going to pick a fight with his wife but when she was being so irrational he didn't know how else to act.

"Two more weeks, 14 days, each day your organs are struggling to survive. 14 days that I have to watch you slowly die just because you want to put your chances of survival behind that of our children. How the hell do you expect me to sit by your sides while you slowly die and then be what? Happy that you gave your life for our children?"

Addison closed her eyes and then slowly reopened them, "You know from the moment that I first found I was pregnant, all I could imagine was you with our children. I had all these pictures in my head of you carrying them around in your arms, playing with them at the beach, holding them when they got hurt. All of these scenarios I always imagined you by yourself, I could never find a way into those places and it hurt me that I couldn't put myself into those dreams. Now, I know why. Derek, I've done so many things wrong in my life. I nearly destroyed the only healthy relationship I had in my life, I broke up two best friends that should've been together forever and I've made mistake after mistake. The only thing I can do right is bring these children in the world even if it costs me my own life."

Derek sat down and put his face in his hands and started sobbing.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Callie sat down and looked at Miranda who was sitting next to her with the same face of fear. How were they going to convince her to accept taking the twins early if she was determined to give her life for them?

Miranda laughed and said, "Of course, why didn't I think of it before?"

Callie looked at her in shock, "Think, think of what?"

Miranda checked her watch and said, "If I hurry, I can still ensure that she gets on a plane before the end of the day. Do me a favor and check out flights from Atlanta to Seattle. We need to get her here before the end of the day."

Callie nodded and said, "Do you mind telling me what we are doing?"

Miranda ran towards the nearest phone, "If she won't listen to us as a woman and a wife she'll have to listen to us as a doctor. How many times do you remember Addison talking about Dr. Martha Glover?"

Callie nodded and stood up, "I remember her talking about this doctor, she was like her mentor right? She told us that she went to one of her surgeries before and that the doctor was like her idol, yea I remember the conversation now. We teased her about how she had so much woman love and she said that hers was the only other opinion that she would respect in addition to her own. Hey are you thinking…?"

Miranda nodded and shrugged, "It's only an idea but it's one that we have to follow to completion. It may be Addison's only hope."

Callie started running for Addison's room and said "So what are we waiting for?"

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Derek came outside Addison's door with red rimmed eyes. He saw Mark sitting outside the door and he looked up and met his face with a curious glance. Derek was never one to admit a weakness but right now he needed his friend, he needed his humor, his strength as they both watched over the woman they loved dearly.

Derek sat next to Mark and exhaled, "It's bad Mark."

Mark nodded once but didn't show any other signs that he had heard him, "Callie and Miranda are working on ideas to make Addison change her mind."

Derek closed his eyes and leaned his head against the wall, the weight of the world on his shoulders making it hard for him to breathe. "I put her to sleep. She was fighting because she wants my assurance that I'm not going to violate her wishes while she's sleep. How do I tell her that the last thing on my mind is our children and as horrible as that sounds, it's the truth. I love Addison but I want her by my side to raise our children together, so I lied."

Mark leaned forward in shock, "You lied to your wife on her sickbed."

Derek nodded and opened, "You can try to judge me but I don't care, I love my wife and I love her enough to take over her decisions when she's incapacitated and not thinking clearly."

Mark rolled his eyes, "You speak of judging, you speak of selfishness but you never knew Addison and you still don't."

Derek wanted to rage that he didn't know his wife either but since all of his energy was focused on ensuring that his wife survived the next 24 hours what his ex-best friend had to say really didn't bother him. "What do you mean, I don't know Addi?"

Mark stood up and started pacing, "The love of your life, you don't know her. You never understood how she could sacrifice herself but she does it…Did you ever stop to think what it must've done to her to be diagnosed with an auto-immune disease like lupus and keep it to herself because she thought you didn't care? Hell, as if that wasn't insulting enough she gets pregnant and is in danger of losing her life, I was sitting in the chair that you were in terrified that I would have to call you and tell you that Addison had died. I finally convinced Addison after pleading in rage for her to call you and what did I get for my trouble? You hung up on her, I don't think you heard me your wife was fighting for her life, she had to be put on dialysis and she was still focused on making you a father because she knew that had always been one of your dreams. Do you see how she's only lived for you, for your dreams? She's asking for the first time in this relationship that you give her, her dream which is to be a mother even if she isn't there to see it. That has always been my problem with you, she gives and gives and gets shot down in return, why can't you let her in like you were prepared to do with Meredith?"

Meredith walked up on the end of the conversation but hearing her name turned on her heel and was about to walk away when Mark sneered at her, "Don't leave, I'm leaving now."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Miranda rushed into Richard Webber's office with her hand outstretched. "I need your credit card now."

Richard signaled to the phone in his hand and mouthed, "Later…"

Miranda shook her head and said, "No now." Richard had long since known that Miranda ran his hospital but she wasn't the type of alarmist who would haphazardly enter his office without good reason. He told his caller that he would return the call and then hung up.

He leaned back in his chair in curiosity, "What is so urgent that you interrupted a conference call with a hospital in Georgia?"

Miranda held out her hand, "You wanted me to do something to help Addison? I'm doing something but I need your credit card and I need it now."

Richard reached for his wallet without hesitation and as he handed it to Miranda, Callie came busting in the door and swiped it out of Miranda's hands saying she would explain later as she ran off to parts unknown.

Miranda smiled at him pleased, "I guess you put your money where your mouth is."

Richard nodded and signaled to a chair behind her and said, "Sit and tell me why I just gave Dr. Callie Torres my credit-card with a zero limit."

Miranda nodded, "Well you wanted results and we are determined to get them for you, Callie and I both love Addison but we know how stubborn she is and she won't listen to us. She just won't but when I was outside of her room pacing, I remember how she always talked about Dr. Glover."

Richard started to nod in agreement as memories flooded his head, "I remember her now, Dr. Martha Glover. I never saw Addison's eyes light up as much as I did when she spoke of her, she was one of the top neonatal surgeons in her field and…."

Miranda cut him off to finish the thought, "And she's the only person that Addison would trust to ensure the safe delivery of her children. I needed the credit card because I called her hospital and spoke to her, she's flying out on the first plane out. I briefed her on Addison's situation and surprisingly enough she remembered her."

Richard smiled in agreement, "How could she forget Addison Forbes Montgomery? With her bright eyes and wonderful smile she was a pleasure to have around any hospital. Thanks for keeping me informed and let's hope this works because if we can't convince her then we are running out of options and I don't even want to entertain the idea of alternatives."

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"Son of a bitch." Callie raised an eyebrow as she took time to breathe from scheduling the flight and talking to Dr. Glover who Callie had to admit was as personable as Addison described. She had gone into her office for a few moments of quiet time when Mark came in the room and sat down in the chair and started cursing.

Callie stood up and said, "Okay what's wrong now? I was coming to tell you good news but from the look on your face nothing I could say could change your attitude. What's wrong?"

Mark grimaced and said, "It's Derek, he's being an ass again."

Callie rolled her eyes and said, "The only time I've known the man to be an ass is when he's dealing with Addison and since she's sleep he must've done something to you, right?"

Mark shook his head and said, "Unfortunately it was still against Addison, he lied to her. He told her that he wouldn't do the procedure if she fell asleep but he just got finished telling me that he lied. He said that he told her what she wanted to hear so she would get some rest but when it came down to it, he wouldn't keep his promise to her. It just pisses me off that he has a extraordinary woman like Addison by his side who doesn't ask him for much but when she does, he has the nerve to lie to her. He lied to her on what could conceivably be her death bed."

Callie closed her eyes and pulled him into her arms and started stroking his hair while he buried his head in her neck. "God, I love how you smell, it always reminded me of being at peace if there is such a smell. I don't know how I could get through this without you, if I ever start to take you for granted, hit me on the side of the head and tell me to get my act together because I can't lose you Callie, I can't."

Callie shushed him as she cradled his face in her hands and kissed him softly, "Hey McSteamy? Me? I'm not going anywhere."

Mark took her hands from her face and wound them around his waist as he pulled her against him and said against her mouth, "Prove it."

Callie looked at him in shock, "Mark, we are in the middle of my office…"

Mark put a finger over her lips, "I know all about that but lock the door and prove to me that you're not going to leave me, we all have issues but right now mine is that I can't go another moment without being inside of you. It's been a long morning and I need that reassurance, please."

Callie nodded and exhaled softly, Mark had never been the type of person to ask for anything but she knew what he needed, what they both needed actually which was reassurance that they were here and able to love each other unlike their friends outside. She walked to the door locked it and then turned back to him as she reached for the button on his shirt to prove to him that she wasn't going anywhere.

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"So…"

Derek looked up as he realized that Meredith was sitting next to him. "If you're waiting on me for to start a conversation you've got the wrong one. I'm in a bad mood and I might say something to hurt your feelings like I did with my ex-best friend Mark."

Meredith nodded and leaned back in her chair and smiled, "You don't scare me Dr. Shepherd. I admit when we were together you did have the ability to break me which you did many times, good point why would I want to talk to you?"

Derek shrugged as he leaned back in his chair and covered his eyes, "Mark's pissed at me because I lied to Addison."

Meredith nodded silently waiting for him to continue. He looked back at her and said, "She wanted me to promise her something before she went to sleep from the sedative the doctor gave her."

Meredith winced, "Was it something hard?"

Derek nodded as he decided to explain to his one-time girlfriend the dilemma he suddenly found himself faced with, "She wanted me to promise to not to allow the doctor's to do an emergency cesarean on her without her being awake and agreeing to it."

Meredith gasped at him in shock, "But that could be the end of her life if she doesn't agree."

Derek grimaced in agreement even while he flinched at the blunt tone in Meredith's voice, "Can you not say end of her life? It makes it sound so final."

Meredith flinched as Derek called her choice of words into question, "I apologize you're right, but the surgery could save her life if she has it within a reasonable time frame right?"

Derek nodded, "She wants to ensure that the twins are giving every chance to make it into this world without complications."

Meredith looked, "Wouldn't prolonging her pregnancy cause even more serious danger to her life? Wait, is that what you lied to her about…Derek."

Derek closed his eyes in shame as he listened to the admonishing tone in her voice, "God, why is everyone trying to making me feel like I'm such a bastard for not carrying out what could be her final wish? I just want my wife to be by my side, I'm not asking for anything more than that and I don't think it's too selfish to wish that she would listen to reason and not keep risking herself for our children. We could still adopt or…."

Meredith shook her head and stood up, "Derek, you and I may never work out but you have to know that not following your wife's wishes is the last thing that she would want. She trusts you, and that is something that at one time you told me that was a problem for you, for you to trust her. She trusts you and if something happens to her or the twins and you didn't follow her wishes to the letter, she'll never forgive you and then where will you be?" After speaking those parting words, she walked away leaving Derek with his thoughts.

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Miranda sat in the chair across from her friend with her hand clasped gently in hers. She laid Addison's hand back on top of Addison's stomach that even in sleep curved around her belly.

Miranda looked away as she spoke gruffly but her voice tinged with emotion, "So you want to play this the hard way huh? Well let me tell you that you aren't going to win, you have too many people in your corner so you need to stop this foolishness and let us help you live. If something happens to you, I'll never forgive you."

Miranda felt the tears come to her eyes as the absurdity of her words hit home, "Addison, I love you. When I was growing up, I was always alone and I never really felt like I belonged but when I came to this hospital, to Seattle Grace I thought finally I found my niche. I know you felt the same way when you got here but something was missing from our lives, I mean I had the perfect husband, I was now a mother but I didn't have any friends. Within no time at all you and Callie opened me up to a world that was more than friends, even more than girlfriends, it was more like sisters and I'm not going to sit here while you act stupid about your life. I won't lose you, not after I found you after all these years. It's not fair to me and it's not fair to Callie who loves you just as much as I do."

Miranda swiped the tears that had fallen from her eyes and exhaled a deep breath as her tirade ended and the door opened and Derek shuffled into the room. Miranda looked at him and rolled her eyes, he was coming to apologize again. She could always tell when Derek was in the wrong by the look on his face, she stood up and pulled out the chair and pointed.

Derek walked obediently over to the chair and sat down, "Thanks but you didn't have to get up, I'll wait my turn."

Miranda walked up behind him and put her hands on his shoulder and squeezed, "You need to apologize to her and I don't think you want an audience for that right?"

Derek opened his mouth in shock as he stifled a sob and nodded. Miranda patted his shoulders and said, "That's good why don't you sit here and talk to her? After your finished come outside and we will talk about the next steps."

* * *

A/N: Thoughts please? I'm trying to pull my people back together and I love my trio together! 


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: Yea more drama/angst, even though Mark/Callie are back together:)  
Miranda is her usual brisk self, and Derek is falling apart (as he should be).  
Life is good!**

About the length in updating, have you ever finished up a story but started another one? That's what happened here,  
I currently am writing another GA's story that I came up with one night in a dream, I know its scary but its true and I  
forgot to keep you guys updated on the one that's already completed! So sorry, you'll see another story coming soon  
though, fingers crossed! Thanks as always for your wonderful replies, they fuel me to write better!

**WIP24**

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Mark and Callie walked hand in hand through the hospital as they waited for news on Addison. As they approached Miranda who was doing a vigil outside Addison's door she looked them up and down once and pronounced her verdict, "Nasty."

Mark smothered a laugh in Callie's hair while Callie started to blush but then sat down next to Miranda and said, "What's been going on?"

Miranda nodded towards the door and said, "Derek is in there with her now. I'm waiting for him to apologize to Addison so that I can tell him what our next steps are going to be in connection to saving Addison's life."

Mark snorted from besides Callie and Miranda fixed him with a glare while Callie backhanded him in the stomach and shot him a warning glance. Miranda stared at Callie and said, "What's wrong with that one? I thought you set him straight?"

Callie nodded, "He's just upset on Addison's behalf…he thinks that Derek won't follow through on Addison's wishes if it comes to that."

Miranda speared him with her eyes and spoke softly but decisively, "You don't get to make those decisions Mark, you are not her husband you never were. That may hurt you but it's the truth, she could never define herself with you but was able to do so instantly with Derek because he's the love of her life, while you and I may not agree with the choices he makes, he makes the choices. She put him in the position of husband for a reason, don't forget that."

Mark nodded and sat down next to Callie and pulled her into his lap and was stroking her hair and waited a couple of seconds before asking the question that was plaguing everyone, "So what do we do now?"

Callie looked to Miranda for confirmation as they both exhaled slowly and spoke simultaneously, "We wait."

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Derek sat in the chair across from Addison's bed watching the gentle rise and fall of her chest and the worry lines that were creasing her eyebrows. Miranda had done him a favor by leaving him alone with his sleeping wife, especially when he realized that they were all right, his wants; his needs had to come second to what his wife requested. It really hit home for him when Mark was raging about what a selfish bastard he had been during their relationship. He flinched when he ran through the list of sins that he had accumulated against his wife. If all she wanted was to fulfill this wish who was he to deny her, especially after everything he put her through. He took her hand into his and squeezed it to his heart.

"Addison, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for not apologizing enough, I'm sorry for not being the type of man that you could depend on, I'm sorry for blaming you for everything that went wrong in our marriage. I'm sorry I made you feel unworthy when after 2 months after leaving you, I had moved on to someone else's bed and heart, I'm sorry you had to put up with my selfish attitude, I'm sorry that I've never been what you deserved. All of this I just enumerated is trivial to me lying to you and saying that I would follow your wishes while you slept. I will follow your wishes because you have always followed mine. When I came to you and stated that I wanted a divorce because it didn't work you took out that with more class and dignity of any woman that I know and still I hurt you. I come to you today to say that my days of putting my own wants and needs are behind us, if you want us to bring these children into the world, then we will do so together. I just need your assurance that you will continue to fight and never give up because I'm selfish and I don't think I can go on without you."

After finishing his piece, Derek placed her hand back on her stomach after leaning down and kissing her belly. He stroked her hair gently and watched as her eyes fluttered, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her temple to calm her down. "Go back to sleep sweetheart, I'll wake you when it's time." This seemed to calm her as her eyes stopped fluttering and she felt back into a peaceful sleep with the worry lines that had once been there were gone.

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Derek walked out of the room with his hands over his mouth as he saw Miranda sitting in the chair outside her room right where he had been previously and sat down next to her. Miranda nodded at him and said, "So you apologized then?"

Derek nodded and said, "I said I was sorry and that I didn't know what I was doing and I think she forgave me. Now you were talking about next steps, where's Callie? What's going on?"

Miranda nodded, "Callie is going home to get some rest she has to be at the airport for 3 in the morning."

Derek nodded but then turned to her, "Who is coming in?"

Miranda smiled and said, "Richard told us that as Addison's friends we shouldn't sit back and watch her accept her death and we should do something, so we did something."

Derek looked at her expectantly, "And what did you do?"

Miranda smiled at his enthusiasm, "Do you remember a doctor by the name of Martha Glover?"

Derek nodded affirmatively, "I remember Addison used to talk about her all the time, she was sorta like her mentor for her to go into neonatology. She used to say…."

Miranda cut him off and finished, "She was the best neonatal surgeon that ever was, yes Derek we all heard the same story but I must admit that I'm glad to see you still remember hearing it. Anyway, she always said that if anything ever happened and she couldn't look after her own children she wanted Dr. Glover to….I'm hoping that she'll take her advice and have the caesarean and not put her life anymore in jeopardy."

Derek nodded in agreement, "Because every second counts."

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"No it's not necessary Mark, I do appreciate it though."

Callie had moved into the apartment that Addison had found for her and she had never been happier and especially now that she was back with Mark which even for it only being a couple of hours since their reconciliation they just fell into the easy rhythm that was the two of them. There was just something about him that made everything better. She was trying to get him to understand that he didn't have to go with her to the airport since it was going to be so early in the morning. She closed the door behind him as he walked in and sat down on her couch. He looked around, "I like it. How many other guys did you bring here?"

Callie rolled her eyes and walked into the bedroom closing the door behind her. She heard Mark swear and then enter the room. She ignored his presence as she started disrobing and removing her jewelry. She reached for her lounge-in pajamas and was about to put them on when she heard a mumble come from Mark.

She stopped when she was about to put on her pants and looked at him in exasperation, "Did you need something Dr. Sloan?"

Mark slumped on the edge of her bed, "I had a fight with Derek today because he gets to love Addison and I don't and don't let what I just said fool you, I'm not still in love with her, I guess I'm still just pissed about the way he treated her. I finally get to a place in my life where I'm happy with the woman I'm with and she's good friends with my ex, it's just confusing and I'm not that type of guy and it pisses me off. I should have everything in my life compartmentalized and making sense but I'm not and I'm turning into Derek and its pissing me off."

Callie sat on the edge of the bed as she listened to all of his rant and then she couldn't help it, she started giggling. First it was a couple of snorts, then she let out a giggle which she covered with a cough but then when she met his angered face she lost the battle she started giggling, "My god I'm sorry Mark but when did you start taking yourself so seriously? You know what your problem is right, you've never had to care for someone other than yourself, oh you made up lies that you were in love with Addison but you weren't and its kicking you in the butt because your finally in a relationship with me and now you are working back towards a relationship with Derek, you are slowly becoming friends with Miranda and its scaring the hell out of you."

Mark smirked and crossed his arms, "What are you telling me is my problem that is if I listen to your advice?"

Callie nodded as she leaned back on the bed and stretched her arms. She yawned and then sat back up, "Your problem Mark Sloan is that you are creating roots. You are actually starting to fit into Seattle Grace and Seattle and its scaring you. Sure, you had stability in Manhattan but no roots and you are starting to make those here and it's scaring you so you lash out inappropriately by making smart comments like the one for a moment again."

Mark swore and said, "You know you being able to read me is really turning into more of a nuisance than I thought."

Callie shrugged, "What can I say for some reason I can read you, I don't know when it happened or how but somehow I'm attuned to your feelings."

Mark took her in his arms and said, "So what time does the doctor's plan land?"

Callie checked her watch, "In five more hours, I already set my alarm for 2:15, I want to be there early."

Mark nodded and said, "Well get a cat nap and then we'll be on our way."

Callie shook her head, "You don't have to do that, you can go to the hospital and be there for Derek and Miranda, I'll go to the airport by myself, it's not necessary that you accompany me."

Mark shook his head, "Don't even think that I'm going to let you go to the airport in the middle of the night without me accompanying you, I told you I wanted a serious relationship and if I'm in a relationship that means that my girlfriend doesn't go to the airport in the middle of the night alone."

Callie nodded not feeling up to an argument then laid down again and pulled him down alongside her and curled into his side, "Thank you for being my boyfriend and wanting to protect me, I could really fall for a guy like you."

Mark laughed and kissed the top of her head, "What makes you think that you haven't already fallen for me?"

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Dr. Martha Glover had never been a patient woman; maybe it was because at the age of 35 she had seen the life and death of more innocent children than if she had been in any of the wars put together. Whether it ranged from baby being dumped in dumpster to a mother pregnant with two conjoined twins, she was never without cause for patience. In her field, patience wasn't something she had a lot of and her patients depended on her to provide them with the best care for their money. She had created a persona out of her former self, the one who partied in high school and was working her way on boozing through college when her roommate and childhood friend, a sweet girl named Melanie Scott had died. She had died of an ectopic pregnancy while Martha held her in her arms and sobbed for her not to leave her alone.

As she watched her friend's lifeblood seep through her fingers, it changed her and whether it sounded cliché or not it wasn't for her to care she simply was good at her job and reveled in it. So that was why when she had received the call from Dr. Miranda Bailey conferencing on the phone with Dr. Callie Torres about their friend Dr. Addison Forbes Montgomery-Shepherd she had listened intently trying to see if she could provide any assistance. Of course she knew of Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd, you would have to be a fool not to, it was almost like she was on the same crusade but for a different reason so when they had stated that the doctor she respected was refusing to have a caesarean that would save her life she agreed to help.

As she rode on the plane taking her to Seattle, Seattle Grace Hospital and her patient she reviewed her file. Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd was 30 weeks pregnant with twins and had developed the complication of toxemia. She was also refusing to have the needed caesarean claiming that if she waited for 2 more weeks her children would have a better chance at survival. Martha was no fool she knew that every word out of the doctor's mouth was the truth, her husband scowling about the fact that because it put her at risk for not waking up ever, it would come down to the survival of either her or her children. Martha closed the files and exhaled a deep breath as she often did after reviewing particularly difficult cases. It somehow helped her to focus all of her thoughts and energy on what was ahead of her and what would be ahead for her patients.

She exhaled a couple of times then opened the file again, as she reviewed the ultrasounds of the twins to date she was pleased to note that they both appeared to be in good condition. As little as two weeks before this episode happened the ultrasound came back looking well for the children. She placed her hands in front of her mouth and blew the air out slowly, when she got to Seattle her first order of business would be to convince Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd that she had to have a caesarean otherwise she could no longer guarantee the health of both her and her twins. She would then show the obviously smart woman who wasn't thinking at the moment that the health of her had to come first and she would prove it by ensuring her that was she was worried about, the health of her twins was no longer an issue she could promise her that. She would stay at the hospital to ensure that the twins were brought into the world with no complications and then she would go about bringing the twins' mother back to health because she was Martha Glover, and she was the best.

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Callie rolled over in bed after hitting off her alarm clock and noticed that Mark hadn't moved even with the sound. He was still snoozing peacefully with his arm tossed haphazardly over her waist. Leaning over she kissed him softly on the cheek and then slipped into her slippers and padded into the bedroom.

After taking her shower she put on her shoes and then checked Mark again who was still asleep and then changed her mind. He had practically begged her last night to wake him up so that he could go with her but he had been through a stressful day as well and the last thing he needed was to be dragged out of bed to go with her to the airport. She scribbled him a note stating as such and headed for the door when a yawning Miranda and baby in tow welcomed her when she opened the door.

Startled Callie immediately reached for Miranda's son who was always happy to see her as he fell in love her ringlet curls. Ever since he realized that he could pull them down and they would bounce back up he had created a game that Miranda swears would keep him occupied for hours. After placing him comfortably on her hip, she closed the door behind her and whispered, "What are you guys doing here?"

Miranda rolled her eyes as she started to reach for her son who shook his head in negation currently fascinated with the curls Callie had pulled back into a bow, "I'm here because it was time for Mr. Man's 2 AM feeding and since I was up and he was up, I thought we could accompany you to the airport."

Callie laughed and said, "You are so transparent, your son has been sleeping through the night for weeks now, what's really going on?"

Miranda shook her head and said, "It's not good, Dr. Revelle told Derek and I before we left the hospital that the latest tests show that Addison's liver has been compromised and that he's worried about the babies. We did an ultrasound and while they look good whenever Addison's system is compromised so is that of her children. I want this doctor here yesterday; she has to help us convince Addison that her best bet is to have the caesarean now."

Callie exhaled softly taking time to blow the breath out through her teeth and said, "How's Derek taking it?"

Miranda shrugged, "I left Derek with Richard, who offered to stay with him until we got back."

Callie nodded and reached for her jacket, "Let's go get this wonder doctor and save our friend and her children."

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Richard exhaled a deep breath as they both watched entranced by the rise and fall of her chest. He looked at Derek who with only a day's beard looked older than his advancing years; it was like in the last couple of hours he had put on twenty years. Richard had sat the man down and forced him to eat a dinner as well as ensured he kept his liquids up, he was hoping that he could get some conversation out of him but he was determined to sit in a vigil by Addison's bed with her hand tucked securely in his and not moving.

Richard put a hand on his shoulder and Derek looked up with eyes unseeing, "Do you know that I counted the amount of times her chest rose and fall within the last hour? It was amazing how many times the human body actually inhales and exhales within an hour. I almost lost count but I decided to stop because it was depressing that with each of the amount of time she inhales and exhales, it didn't matter because she isn't here, it's just her body. I don't know where my Addison is."

Richard exhaled softly and said, "In all the time I knew the two of you, I was always envious of the connection you two share until you both came to Seattle broken people. You were both broken for different reasons, but together the two of you were able to heal each other and in the process strengthen your relationship and create two beautiful children. Focus on that, not the inert woman that's lying on the bed. Focus on the fact that you two were able to overcome what would have been the end of most relationships and you were able to become stronger."

Derek shook his head as the tears streamed down his cheeks, "Don't you see Richard? That's what is making this so hard, I've haven't overcome anything. I'm still so tied up in her that I don't know where she starts and I end and I want it to be like that always. I feel cheated because I wanted to have her to myself for a little while longer, I wanted to be with her just a little bit more and now these babies come along and they are taking away the good thing I have in my life and could possibly the end of the life of the woman I love the most in this world."

Richard grabbed him by the shirt and pushed him out into the hall and yelled at him seething, "I get your scared, I get you can even be angry but don't you ever express that way of your own children, not in front of the woman who is willing to sacrifice her life for them. That's not fair because if she dies…" Richard stops as he started to choke up and spat out, "If she dies then you will have the last thing on your mind that you told her that you spit in her face as goes for her sacrifice, how dare you!"

Derek fell to the floor as the sobs overcame him and he started shaking, Richard instantly felt pity for the broken man in front of him because he knew that more than anyone he was on the edge he leaned down and pulled him to his feet, "You have to be strong for her and with her. That's all she needs from you now."

Derek nodded and as Richard pulled him into a hug no one looked at them strangely, no one questioned why two male doctors were embracing. Not when they knew that at the center was a bright eyed red-haired woman who had bewitched them all with her smile, humor and knowledge. How could they not comfort each other?

* * *

Dude, so I'm so feeling the Addek and Addie love and you? 


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Next chapter, hmmm? **

**Also, I'll be heading out of town for a wedding, so this might be the last update for a couple of weeks. Hopefully,  
I can update sooner, but one never knows...:) **

WIP25

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As she walked off the ramp at the airport she was on a mission. She knew she was supposed to meet Dr. Callie Torres who would escort her to the hospital so she could begin her treatment of Dr. Addison Forbes-Montgomery Shepherd. What she hadn't expected was the fact that there were two women who were waiting anxiously for her at the gate. Who she assumed was Callie walked up to her first and extended her hand in greeting, "Dr. Glover I presume?"

Martha nodded and extended her hand to Callie in greeting and said, "It's a pleasure, Dr. Torres I'm only hoping that I can be of some assistance."

Martha turned her attention to the woman standing next to her and said, "And you are?"

Miranda smiled as she stuck out her hand as way of greeting nd said, "I'm Dr. Bailey, I was the one who called you on the conference call, it was a pleasure."

Callie reached for her luggage and said, "So what is our game plan? Do you want to go to the hotel and get settled or do you want to head for the hospital first?"

Martha motioned to the file that was in her hand, "I've been studying her case on the plane and I don't think we have anymore time to waste. What do you say, should we head to the hospital and see what we can do about saving your friend's life?"

Miranda didn't want to say anything but she was secretly pleased that the doctor had put the health of her friend Addison over her comfort.

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Richard had left Derek alone with his own thoughts after getting him a cup of coffee which he was currently sipping on while waiting for news about Addison so when Mark Sloan came up in sweats he wasn't fazed. Mark threw himself in the chair next to him with a grimace.

"Where's Callie and Miranda?"

Derek shrugged but didn't give any other notices that he had heard him. Mark leaned back in the chair and said, "So has there been any change with Addison?"

Derek sipped his coffee and shot a glance his way, "Her liver is slowly being compromised and her vital signs aren't good. The twins look good though."

Mark nodded and said, "So how are you?"

Derek rolled his eyes in disbelief, "Please tell me that you didn't just pretend to care about what happens to me."

Mark smirked and said, "Fine pretend I didn't ask that question, it wasn't even really relevant."

Derek nodded and said, "I will do that."

Mark started to stand up and pace and Derek groaned in disbelief, "Could you not do that?"

Mark flung himself back in the chair and said, "I'm worried about Callie, she told me that she was going to let me ride with her to the airport to pick up the doctor but when I woke up she was gone."

Derek laughed and said, "You fell asleep didn't you?"

Mark scowled in anger, "Yea I did and so what?"

Derek snorted as he looked at him, "Don't you remember when were in college? You could never stay awake to study for any of your exams and I always had to set the alarm clock to wake you up otherwise you would've failed every class."

Mark smiled and said, "I remember that, we had some good times didn't we Derek?"

Derek nodded and said, "Before you screwed it up for everyone by taking advantage of my sick wife."

Mark rose and turned to him in anger, "I'm tired of being your punching bag, I'm going to Callie's office but I want you to remember something, you started all of this by leaving the woman you took vows with…Now you may have not slept with anyone else like she did but you distanced yourself from her and did in such a way that she had no one to turn to. You had in essence already isolated her from everyone but you. You were Derek and Addison but you didn't live up to your part of the bargain of being Derek."

Derek glared at him as he returned to sipping his coffee and Mark stormed away.

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"So tell me about Dr. Addison Forbes Montgomery Shepherd." Miranda looked up to the front from her place in the backseat. She had just gotten her son back to sleep and he was currently sleeping in the car seat that Callie had bought after they had been friends for two months. She had approached Miranda with a catalog that Addison had recommended and asked which of the ones she would feel comfortable that her child was riding in when she was hanging out with Callie. What she hadn't realized about her two new friends was that they loved children and as they didn't really have any nieces or nephews yet they took it upon themselves to spoil her son beyond belief and take him from her every chance they got. She always hoped they had that type of closeness so that was why when Dr. Glover posed the question she had to focus her mind again on the conversation.

Callie looked up in the driver's mirror and said, "Miranda you and my nephew okay back there?"

Miranda nodded with a smile and said "We're fine, what did you ask Dr. Glover?"

Martha turned around in her seat and said, "If I'm going to convince this relatively smart doctor that she needs to have the caesarean now and that she needs to focus on her life then I'm going to need some help. Whenever I have patients who are worrying about their lives or the lives of their children and want to be the lives of themselves before their children, I always ask family members for background info, in my business sometimes you have to be a psychiatrist as well. I am curious though; she was diagnosed with SLE lupus at age 28 and lost a child around that same time. She was then finishing a flare-up of her disease when she found out that she was pregnant. This was a dangerous time for her to get pregnant, why did she try to conceive when she was in the middle of a flare-up?"

Miranda cleared her throat and said, "She didn't conceive in the middle of a flare-up, the flare-up came after she found out she was pregnant. I guess, I should give you a brief overview of Addison's life so that you understand what you are about to be up against."

Callie nodded and said, "There is a lot you don't know about our friend."

Miranda stared at Martha and realized that she felt at ease telling this woman her friend's life story if anything it would help her understand the type of amazing woman's life she was trying to save, "Dr. Glover…" Before she could continue the doctor interrupted her and said, "If you buy me a plane ticket and put me up in a five-star hotel, I think you have the right to call me Martha so please Martha."

Miranda liked this woman more and more which wasn't shocking seeing as how Addison had told them that she sounded like good people, "Well Martha, it all started about a year ago before Addison moved to Seattle, she was living in Manhattan and….."

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Derek knocked on the door to Callie's office and when he heard a gruff "Yea" he entered. Mark was sitting on the couch and when he saw him he scowled and turned back to the papers he was reviewing.

Derek closed the door behind him and said, "I wanted to talk to you."

Mark closed the file in front of him and leaned back in Callie's chair, "You wanted to talk to me about what?"

Derek looked down and said, "I'm not proud of what I said. In my defense, it's been a difficult couple of hours and I'm not in charge of my feelings and I just wanted to say I'm sorry."

Mark nodded and said, "I'm sorry that you're having a hard time of it."

Derek sat in the chair in front of him and said, "I'm having a difficult time controlling my sentiments and all of my anger that I have towards the injustice that Addison is going through I'm taking out on you, Richard, Callie and even Miranda although she's giving as good as she gets back to me."

Mark looked at him, "So what do you want from me? What can I do?"

Derek looked down and cleared his throat and looked back to Mark, "I need you to be my friend even when I don't deserve it. I know I know this sounds hypocritical of me to ask for your friendship back but I'm at a crossroads and I don't know how to proceed. Please, Mark."

Mark closed his eyes and leaned back in the chair and nodded, "Derek, I've always been your friend and I'm just sorry that you and I have fell apart. I'll help you get through this crisis with Addison because I do believe that you will both be getting through this just fine…but then what? Are you going to find out that you no longer need me and dump me again and we are back to calling potshots at each other?"

Derek shrugged, "Don't tell me how to proceed because I'm handling things one hour at a time. All I know that if your supposition is right, then Addison will be coming around as a new mother whose going to need her friends and Callie, the woman you're dating, just happens to be one of them."

Mark scowled, "So then are you becoming friends with me again because my girlfriend is one of your wife's friends?"

Derek stood up and started for the door, "Look I can't talk to you when you're like this."

Mark rolled his eyes, "Like what?"

Derek opened the door and said, "When you're being an ass."

As he opened the door Callie walked in with her purse on her arm and looked at Mark and Derek in confusion, "What's going on here and Mark why are you in my office?"

Derek looked at his watch and said, "Where's Dr. Glover? She should be here by now."

Callie nodded, "She just got in and she's being briefed with Dr. Revelle, Richard and Miranda but I needed a moment. So that still doesn't explain what you're doing in my office."

Derek looked back at Mark who had stood up and was staring at Callie, "Your boyfriend is an ass."

After saying his thoughts on Mark, Derek closed the door behind him as Callie stared at him in shock and disbelief.

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Miranda stood in front of Addison's bed as she gave a brief overview of her case to Dr. Glover who was busy checking vital signs while she talked. The door flung open as the presence that was Derek Shepherd walked in. Martha looked up from what she was doing and held out her hand in greeting, "You must be Dr. Derek Shepherd, it's a pleasure."

Derek smiled at her in greeting and said, "It's a pleasure Dr. Glover, I only hope you can help."

Martha dropped his hand and turned back to Addison and said, "I don't think they would've called me in if I couldn't be of any help. First things first, Miranda I need to know if you can be in the ER with me. I know that you and Addison are close and I want you to help her just by being by her side."

Miranda nodded and said "Of course, I'll be there. I'll have Callie watch my son. When do you want do to the surgery?"

Derek cleared his throat and Martha was stopped from her conversation as she turned to him in question, "What can I help you with?"

Derek looked at Miranda and said, "If I'm not mistaken, the last time I talked to my wife, she was against the surgery, has something changed?"

Miranda nodded, "We were actually hoping you could help us with that, we've been weaning her off the sedatives ever since we knew that Dr. Glover was coming in, she should be waking up any moment now. She's going to be groggy and probably in a lot of pain but this will be your best bet in getting her to sign those papers and agree to have the surgery."

Derek exhaled softly as he noticed that Miranda's words were slowly coming true as Addison woke up slowly and started blinking her eyes and looking around in confusion. He turned to Miranda and Dr. Glover, "Can you leave us alone for a moment please?"

Martha nodded and started walking out when Miranda walked to him and put her hand on his shoulder, "Don't give up until she signs the papers. It's her only chance."

Derek nodded and locked the door behind them.

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Martha walked out of the room with the papers in her hand and turned around and met Miranda's eyes with a questioning look of her own. "So that's Derek Shepherd?"

Miranda nodded and motioned for her to sit down at the chair in front of her and said, "That's him; unfortunately around this hospital he was dubbed McDreamy."

Martha snorted and sat down as she looked at the chart once again, "The latest vitals that we took on Addison aren't good. We have to get those babies out now before she continues to harm them right now. I wish I could've told Derek that, she's actually harming the children by trying to carry them longer."

Miranda nodded and said, "The sad part is, I think she knows that. I think she knows her life is in danger and for a woman who's one of the best neonatal surgeons next to you of course she can't focus on anything but trying to be a good mother at the moment."

Martha looked up and said, "This is a nice hospital, I didn't really to get to comment before but I'm impressed."

Miranda nodded, "We are happy here. So tell me what do you think of Dr. Revelle?"

Martha smiled and said, "He's one of the leading rheumatologists in his field and his concern is the well-being of Addison Shepherd and not that of her children which is probably why Addison has been so adamant about carrying these twins to term. She needs to know that the lives of her babies matter as much to this guy as her own."

Miranda nodded, "I appreciated that he was always trying to look out for Addison but she's always been a strong woman and nothing he did was going to change that."

Martha smiled as Miranda stood up and went to the phone and started making calls. Martha trailed behind her at a slower pace and said, "What are you doing?"

Miranda smiled, "I'm setting up the operating room."

Martha stopped mid step and put a stilling hand on Miranda's arm, "I thought we needed consent from Derek and Addison before we continued with the surgery."

Miranda started walking again as she ran into the room and said, "We do but if I know Derek, he will pull all stops out to guarantee she signs those papers."

* * *

Hmmm? So will she? Won't she? Check in for the next chapter and see:) 


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: Next update.**

**WIP26**

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Derek watched as Addison struggled to keep her eyes opened and focused on him. He had never been more frightened in his life and it was as if all the words that were going to come out of his mouth would determine how his future would be.

Addison locked her eyes on Derek's blue ones filled with unshed tears as she reached for her stomach in doubt. She saw the flicker of hurt that ran through his face as he realized that she still doubted him even after his plea.

She tried to clear her throat but found that her voice was too tired to speak, "So-sorry."

Derek looked up and her words and closed his eyes, "I don't know what you're apologizing for. I didn't do anything as you can see."

Addison nodded and started to close her eyes when Derek grabbed for her hand. Addison's eyes opened again slowly and he said, "We need to talk."

Addison strained to focus on his mouth as he began to speak, "We brought in one of the leading neonatal surgeons to help you give birth early."

Addison shook her head and started to struggle when Derek spoke again, "Its Martha Glover."

The struggle stopped momentarily as Addison looked at him in confusion and disbelief, "She's here?"

Derek nodded and squeezed her hand tightly, "Callie and Miranda just picked her up from the airport and she's waiting to do the surgery now. She thinks it's in your best interest for you to have the caesarean immediately and since I knew you wouldn't believe the words if they came from me, you can hear her say that your life is in danger and that of our children if you continue on this absurd crusade to sacrifice yourself for the twins."

Addison closed her eyes as the tears started leaking out and turned to him, "Okay."

Derek opened his mouth to protest and said, "Okay? That's it, no more fights, no more sacrificing. You are just ready to accept the fact that we may have the solution to stop all of this?"

Addison opened his eyes and met his face and held out her hand which he took without hesitation. "I love you, I trust you, I trust Miranda and Callie and I trust Dr. Glover. If you guys say that the children have a better chance of survival outside than inside, I believe you and I trust your judgment."

Derek stood up and leaned over and kissed her on the mouth. He lingered a bit too long and he realized that time had stood still once again as he was kissing his wife. He pulled back and handed her the papers and said, "Sign, please sign."

Addison shook her head and said, "You've already signed for me, just know that you have my consent now."

Derek nodded and stood up and was going for the door when a sound from the bed called him back, "De-Derek?"

Derek spun around and saw Addison once again as she whispered I love you before closing her eyes.

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"God, I'm sorry how many times do I have to say it?"

Callie sat staring at a pouting Mark who had been reaming her out for leaving the apartment hours earlier.

Mark sat on the edge of the desk and said, "Do you know how worried I was when I woke up and didn't see you?"

Callie snorted, "How long did it take you to wake up because I tried for a good ten minutes but you were out like a light. Besides, I left you a note telling you where I would be and I didn't go alone if that's any consolation, Miranda and her son was with me the whole time."

Mark scowled and said, "Well I guess it's okay then, so tell me about this world renowned Dr. Glover is she everything you guys were hoping for and more?"

Callie shrugged, "It's too soon to tell but I can see why Addison admired her so much. By the time we were in the car on the way to the hospital she had already read through her files and worked out a game plan on saving the twins lives."

Mark looked up and said, "Just the twins or is Addison included in her little game plan?"

Callie smiled and said, "Of course Addison is included in the plan but right now she needs to make sure that Addison is okay and the only way Addison is going to be okay is if she knows that her children are okay. Everything else has to be secondary."

Mark nodded in agreement and said, "So what else is on your mind?"

Callie stood up and wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned forward and kissed him gently on the lips, "Nothing much, just missing you but I do have a question."

Mark rolled his eyes and said, "We can do so many other things other than answering questions, we're in your office and we're all alone…Can't we do something else?"

Callie silenced him with a soft kiss and deepened the kiss instantly and smiled when she felt him shift under her trying to make himself more comfortably as he pulled her deeper in this arms and prolonged the kiss. Callie stepped back reluctantly as she kissed his softly on the cheek and said, "We will have to pick this up later, right now I'm going to wait with Derek to see how Addison is doing."

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"She signed."

Miranda nodded and turned to Dr. Glover and started asking for directions which the doctor gave immediately and the two of them walked away bent on focusing on their mission now.

Derek sat down and looked up as Richard sat next to him and watched the trail of the women doctors leave and said, "So I take it that she agreed then?"

Derek nodded once and said, "She didn't even hesitate she told me that she trusted all of our opinions and that Dr. Glover would do everything in her power to keep her and the babies alive."

Richard leaned back satisfied and said, "You still don't look so good, what's going on?"

Derek looked down and said, "Her vitals haven't improved and if she didn't agree to the surgery, I was going to have to break my promise to her. Dr. Revelle said that because she had already carried the twins to 30 weeks that they have a good outlook."

Richard smiled at that, "Then that will make Addison pleased seeing as how that's been one of her major concerns."

Derek leaned back and closed his eyes and exhaled softly, "I just want to hear that my wife is going to be fine that she will wake up and we will begin to raise our children together. Because apart Richard? I don't know if I can do that if it's just me by myself."

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Dr. Glover and Miranda pushed Addison's bed out into the hall and were prepared to take it down to the surgery room when Derek came rushing up besides the bed and halted their movements.

He leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips, "I know you can't hear me right now but I wanted to tell you that I love you. I have always loved you and I will always love you. Please pull through this for me so we can raise our twins together."

Miranda felt the tears come to her eyes at the heartfelt plea coming from Derek but instead cleared her throat and said, "We need to go Derek."

Derek nodded and turned to Dr. Glover and said, "I'm leaving the lives of the people that mean the most to me in your hands, please don't let me down."

Martha nodded once at him and said, "I won't." As they walked away Callie came up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder and said, "It's going to be okay Derek."

Derek looked down at her and nodded once, "I hope so because I don't know what will happen if they aren't okay."

Callie nodded and handed him a cup of coffee as she directed him to the waiting area outside the surgery room and said, "We've been living off of caffeine for the last couple of hours so I guess a couple more shots won't hurt. Besides, in a couple of hours everyone will be returning to the hospital anyway."

Derek nodded noncommittally and said, "You two have been going nonstop every since you came up with a plan to help save Addison's life and I just wanted to say thank you. I know saying thanks is an minute gesture compared to every thing you two have done but it's all I have for now, so thank you."

Callie smiled softly and said, "Thanks Derek, thanks for admitting that we are friends to your wife and hope to continue to be. I just want you to know that you may still have a long road ahead of you were Addison is concerned, she may still be upset that you wished that she wasn't pregnant."

Derek flinched and said, "I have to focus on one thing at a time and right now the only thing I can focus on is all my energy going in there to be with her because god knows if I could switch places with her I would."

Callie laughed and said, "That's so cliché. You have no idea the pain women go through to bring children in the world but all men usually say that they would give anything to be in their wives places so as to cause them from going through pain when a simple hangnail has you out of commission for a week."

Derek paused as he was bringing the cup to his lips and said, "So she told you about my hangnail did she?"

Callie smirked and said, "What can I say, I told you we were friends."

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Mark looked up as Meredith came and sat down in the chair across from him at the cafeteria. He nodded and said sarcastically; "Sit down please Dr. Grey."

Meredith rolled her eyes, "Thanks for the sarcasm Mark but I wanted to know how Addison is doing."

Mark leaned forward and said, "Why so you can see how long it will take for Derek to run back to your arms?"

Meredith scowled and stood up, "I can see this was a mistake."

Mark looked down ashamed and said, "I'm sorry Meredith that was uncalled for, my only defense is that I've been drinking these coffees since 1 am and I've probably gone through 5 liters of caffeine and I'm edgy. Please sit down."

Meredith nodded and sat down and said, "So has there been any word on Addison's condition?"

Mark checked his watch and said, "They've been in the operating room for about two hours now so we should be hearing something soon."

Meredith looked at him in shock and said, "You finally got her to agree to have the surgery? I thought she would never agree."

Mark smiled and said, "She wasn't going to agree but when Callie and Miranda got the doctor Martha Glover to fly in this morning then the tables turned."

Meredith smiled and then exhaled slowly, "Well that's good news then isn't it?"

Mark nodded, "It certainly is for Derek but what are you asking for? I know that you and Addison haven't been the closest of friends since her arrival in Seattle so I'm just finding this sudden outpouring of concern hard to swallow."

Meredith smirked, "You really are a bastard you know?"

Mark rolled his eyes, "That's what they tell me."

Meredith stood up and said, "Will you at least tell Derek that I'm worried about him and I hope everything works out for him and Addison. I've grown up over these past few months and realized that I'm doing just fine without Derek and I will continue to do so but I still hope that they make it alright."

Mark nodded, "I'll let them know."

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Miranda came out of the surgery with her mouth down and her heart heavy. Derek came rushing up to her with Callie hot on his heels. "How is she?"

Miranda stared at her best friend's husband and said, "Derek, it's two in the morning you can still use manners can't you? Listen, first things first we were able to save both of the twins with minimal complications. We currently have both of them in incubator but there were almost 5 pounds a piece which Martha tells me is good news."

Derek shrugged this news off and asked the question that was vital to his life, "How is Addison?"

Miranda exhaled sharply and said, "We almost lost her on the table twice but Martha wouldn't let her die. We were close to calling TOD twice but Martha wouldn't let her go and so she continued CPR and the paddles and was able to bring her back. She is currently still in ICU."

Derek looked at Martha and said, "Where is she?"

Miranda turned to him and said, "I'll take you to her room but you can't stay long."

Derek opened his mouth to protest and Miranda cut him off, "She is still weak from the surgery and needs her rest. Her body needs time to recover and you need time to recover. You almost lost your wife and your children, go home and rest."

Derek leaned back against the counter and said, "Rest is the last thing on my mind Miranda. I need to be with my wife, please take me to Addison."

Miranda nodded and said, "Five minutes. Five minutes and then you will go see your children and then Callie or I will take you home and you will shower and rest. We need you to be at the top of your game when you get back in the morning, ready to fight for Addison and your children."

Not bothering to acknowledge the last part of her statement he followed behind her silently while Callie turned to Martha and spoke softly, "Thank you Dr. Glover, you don't know what it means that Addison is going to be okay."

Martha smiled softly, "I was worried for a moment, Dr. Shepherd had asked me to save his wife and children and I was almost unable to do that and it frightened me."

* * *

Come on, you know she had to sign the papers right? 


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: Update, next one. Only 2 more chapters, left:)**

**WIP27**

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After closing the door behind Miranda he realized his error. The beeping of the machines was his undoing. He slid down the door as the sobs wracked his body. She looked so peaceful almost like she was sleeping and would wake up at any moment but Derek knew that there was a chance that she wouldn't wake up. There was a chance that she would stay in this state for the rest of her life and it was that realization that had him inconsolable.

As his sobs slowly stopped he stood up and pulled the chair over to her bed and sat down in front of her and pulled her hand into his. As it fell limply between his hands he stifled a sob and gripped her hand tighter and exhaled deeply. "The doctors say that you came through surgery just fine Addison and our babies are doing well. Please open your eyes and come back to me, I found out something these last couple of hours, without you I'm not really a nice person. I piss people off and for some reason I seem to annoy the hell out of everyone I encounter, you were my better half for lack of a better phrase. I seem to shut down and become a monster without you by my side, it's wrong but there it is and I just want to ask your forgiveness. So please wake up."

The beeping of the machines was his only response to his emotional plea.

Derek sat forward and put his head on her hand and said, "Very well you want to play this the hard way. Addison, I need you to be here with me now. Miranda tells me that we have two healthy babies and other than them staying in the incubator for a little while we should be able to take them home soon. So please wake up and put an end to this misery that I'm living."

As the quiet sounds of the machine responded to his request he exhaled softly and sat up in the chair and said, "I don't know what me being here will do, whether it will make you wake up sooner or prolong your nap in slumber land but I'm here and I'm not going anywhere."

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Mark found her in front of the nursery window swiping away tears. He came up behind her and put his head on her shoulder and said, "So which ones are they?"

Callie leaned into his strength as she pointed out the incubators which held Baby Boy and Baby Girl Shepherd. Mark smiled softly, "They are going to be heartbreakers."

Callie nodded as she sniffled and said, "She will if Addison ever wakes up."

Mark stood up and looked at her in confusion, "I thought that the surgery was a success and that the twins were saved and everything went well."

Callie was transfixed on the sight of the babies as she spoke, "Dr. Grover told me that the twins came through surgery fine but that Addison….," her voice cracked as she continued, " Addison, they almost lost on the table three times. She said its touch and go with her right now."

Mark pulled her into his arms and said, "Honey, I'm sorry. I had no idea." Callie shook her head as she lay on his chest and snorted, "I can't believe you are the one who's comforting me, for the last couple of years you've been under the impression that you were in love with Addison Shepherd."

Mark laid his head on top of hers and said, "I was in love with the idea of being in love and Addison was an easy target. She was smart, sexy as hell and had a sense of humor. Her only downfall was that she devoted too much of herself to Derek who was an ass that didn't deserve her. She never gave herself the time to admit that he could've been wrong and that's what sent her spiraling out of control. I was a SOB that took advantage of her in one of the worst moments in her life."

Callie exhaled and nodded as she pulled away and went back to watching the babies, "They are so small. I know that Dr. Grover said that because she pulled them out when she did that they would be fine but I'm still worried. Miranda went home and she left me with the fun task of making sure that Derek goes home and gets some sleep. Anybody want to help me with that one?"

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"Derek?"

Derek didn't look up at the sound of his name being called. He ignored the voice and continued to stare at his wife longingly.

"Derek?"

Derek turned around and met the face of Mark Sloan. He rolled his eyes and turned around and back to watching Addison.

Mark cleared his throat and said, "Derek? You have to go home and get some sleep. Your not doing anybody any good staying here…The doctors will be here to watch over Addison and your babies."

Derek looked up and said, "I almost lost Addison tonight Mark. I almost lost her twice…the doctors told me, there's nothing you can say that's going to make me leave her side."

Mark put a hand on his shoulder and said, "Derek, you're not doing her any good. If she wakes up and find you looking like a werewolf with red eyes, it's going to scare her back unconscious and not to mention what she's going to say when she finds out you haven't even checked on your children."

Derek scowled at Mark's attempt at humor and said, "Fine, fine…What do I need to do so you will leave me alone?"

Mark smiled softly and said, "You will go home and shower and get some sleep. If I see you back here before 9 in the morning I'll tell Richard Webber to put you on leave."

Derek grimaced and stood up and walked over to Addison's bed. He kissed her on the forehead and said, "I'm going for a little while but I'll be back. Feel free to wake up before I return."

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Callie looked up and said, "I don't believe it." Callie watched as Mark walked Derek to the car and said, "You got him to leave?"

Mark nodded pleased and said, "I still have some skills."

Derek rolled his eyes at both of them as he started walking away and said, "Mark's an ass."

Mark looked at him in shock as Callie laughed and said, "Derek?"

Derek turned in question as Callie stared him down and said, "Mark may be an ass but he's my ass."

Callie walked away leaving Mark with a smile and Derek with a groan.

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Next Morning

Miranda walked into the ER with a mission. She had slept fitfully all last night thinking in Derek and Addison. She had to leave the hospital or she was liable to go crazy with all of the emotions that were swirling around her family and friends. She first made a stop at Richard's office to see the chief sleeping in his chair with Addison's chart as a pillow. She wanted to go in and tell him to go home as well but she stopped herself. She knew now wasn't the time to be calling the shots not when everyone was still waiting on bated breath for the wakeup of Addison.

As she opened the door to her friend's room she was shocked to see Martha Grover sitting in the chair across from her bed. Miranda walked in and shut the door behind her and turned to Martha with a smile, "I didn't expect to see you here so soon."

Martha looked up with a smile, "I couldn't sleep and I knew that it would be worthless to try. I decided to come and sit with this woman that strikes the heart of so many people whose paths she cross. You know she truly is an amazing woman, just from what you told me about her she has overcome great obstacles, and she's an admirable person."

Miranda sat down in the chair next to her bed as she looked upon her friend who besides the rise and fall of her chest gave no other reaction to the fact that she was alive. She nodded and said, " Addison is a special woman. She's the one who helped bring my son Tuck into the world."

Martha smiled and said, "I was talking to Richard Webber this morning and he was telling me about some of the amazing strides she's made in our field. She sounds like a credit to the profession; it was weird talking to Richard though."

Miranda smiled and said, "Richard, weird how?"

Martha leaned forward and said, "I must confess talking to him was like talking to a proud father and not a colleague. He constantly went on and on about her achievements and triumphs as if they were his own…it was disconcerting to say the least."

Miranda laughed and said, "Yea Richard will do that when he's talking about Addison. He was her mentor and he always had a special place in his heart for her as well as his wife Adele who looks at Addison as another daughter."

Martha stood up and walked over to the side of Addison's bed and after checking her vitals leaned down and spoke into her ear, "Addison you are a very lucky person to have so many people here who love and care about you….All they're asking for, all I'm asking for is that you open your eyes and give everyone here a chance to get some sleep."

Miranda laughed from behind her and said, "I second that motion."

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"Coffee's in the kitchen."

Derek stumbled out of his bedroom and looked at Mark who was sitting on his couch sipping on a cup of coffee and reading the morning paper.

Derek raised an eyebrow went into the kitchen poured himself a cup and then sat across from Mark and swiped his paper back, "What are you doing here?"

Mark rolled his eyes as he sipped and said, "You were supposed to come home and get some sleep…If I know you like I still know you, that meant you were going to wait until you saw my car lights drive down the street then you were going to either call a cab or get back in your car and drive to the hospital."

Derek scowled and said, "You SOB, you stole my keys I was looking…."

Mark laughed and said, "See what I mean? That was your plan all along. You needed to get some sleep. Without any sleep you are no good to your wife or your twins."

Derek put down his cup and put his face in his hands, "What am I supposed to do now Mark?"

Mark leaned forward and looked at him in confusion, "What do you mean, what are you supposed to do?"

Derek looked at him and said, "My wife is in an unconscious state at the hospital, my children are currently in the NICU and I can't function. What do I do now?"

Mark grimaced and said, "I've never been in love, did you know that? I thought I was in love with Addison but it just turned out to be great sex…."

Derek looked at him enraged and said, "How in the hell is that supposed to help me you ass?"

Mark frowned and said, "If you had let me finish….Addison was not someone I was in love with, I was in lust with her….I think I'm in love with Callie and the idea that there could be a time, a single moment where her life lay in the balance, I think I would be useless to everyone and everybody…The love that I have for her is new to me but it scares the hell out of me so to finish up, I don't know what you do Derek. I don't know how you are supposed to function because if that was Callie in there, I don't think I would function."

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Richard walked into the room of his surrogate daughter and sat at her beside. He looked at the peaceful look on her face and felt the tears come to his eyes. He pulled her hand into his and kissed it and held it there. He cleared his throat and spoke gruffly, " Addison. That's enough of this. It's been a couple of hours and per this Dr. Grover you should be awake by now. You need to be awake, Derek's walking around like the living dead, Miranda isn't giving the interns hell and they're freaked out, Callie doesn't want to set bones and Mark is acting nice to everyone. We need your balance here because it feels like we are falling apart without you to hold us together."

He paused and let go of our hand as he stood up and started pacing, "I met my grandchildren this morning. They are beautiful Addison, they are beautiful and healthy. Martha says that if they continue they should be out of the incubator in 2-3 days and you can hold them….Addison please."

Richard sat down again and said, "I never told anyone this but I'm scared. I'm scared that I won't see your face again. You may wonder what the hell I'm talking about but you were always the epitome of what I envisioned in my child, the traits I envisioned my child would have. I never knew what it was like to love another human being like I love you without them being a blood relation. I guess that's part of the reason I wanted you here in Seattle, so I could watch over you like a father should….I'm not your father Addison and I'm not here to confess that I should be but I want you to know that it doesn't stop me from loving you like a child….I'm scared Addison because you helped me become a better man you help me become better. I want to get the chance to watch you raise my grandchildren right with Derek by your side."

He stopped in his dialogue when he noticed eyes fluttering. He stood up and ran to the side of the bed and grabbed her hand and said, "Come on Addi, come on."

Addison opened her eyes and rolled her head to the side to meet his face. Richard smiled at her but then felt his smile falter when her eyes rolled back into her head and her face fell to the side unconscious.

* * *

Dude, so sorry but I needed another angst shot before I wound this one up, this should be it, I promise:) 


	28. Chapter 28

A/N: So I started receiving threatening emails about my updates on this story...So as promised,  
a new chapter, and I may add another one at the end of today depending on how I feel. Thoughts please!

**WIP28**

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"We have a Code Blue in Room 345." Richard stood in shock at the side of Addison's bed as Dr. Grover and the other attendings rushed into the room and started to work frantically on Addison. Miranda Bailey came running up beside him and looked at him in shock, "What happened?"

Richard stood silent unable to speak a sound for the reality of what he was witnessing was far worse than anything he could've imagine. Miranda looked at him and saw the dazed look on his face and took him by the hand outside of the room. She put a hand on his shoulder as she looked back to the room where her friend was fighting for her life. It was at that moment that Derek came rushing up on the scene.

He tried to enter the room but a single glance from Miranda to Mark made that impossible. Mark held Derek back as Miranda tried to calm him down, "Derek, there's nothing you can do in there. Please let those doctors do what they need to do."

Derek struggled against the restraints of Mark's arms and finally Mark let him go only for Derek to start pacing. He turned his glare on Miranda and Richard with a question, "What happened? She was fine when I left here yesterday."

Miranda looked to Richard for guidance in answering the question as she didn't know how to respond to the inquiry either. Richard cleared his throat and said, "I was in her room talking to her and she opened her eyes….and then it was like all this pain came into her eyes because her eyes held mine for a second and then her eyes rolled back into her head and she flat lined."

Derek gasped in shock, "She flat-lined? She died?"

Mark put a hand on his shoulder and said, "Derek stop being a husband and be a doctor for a second, you know that just because she flat-lined it doesn't mean she died."

Derek sat down in the chair and said "What does it mean then Mark? Does it mean that she could die? Does it mean that I could accept that Addison," he felt his voice rise as the anxiety threatened to choke him, "that Addison could die?"

He was saved from completing his anxiety attack by the sight of Dr. Martha Grover coming out of the room. She stood by the trashcan and threw her mask in the garbage angrily.

She stopped short as she realized she was being watched by four very anxious people. Derek stood up and walked over to her glaring at her as if she was to blame, Martha met his face with a glare of her own. Miranda came up behind him and spoke for the group when she asked, "How's Addison?"

Martha Grover met her eyes with a gentle smile and said, "Due to her lupus, she had an inflammatory response."

Mark rolled his eyes with a flourish and said, "In English please."

Martha spared him a mere eyebrow raise the only answer she would give to his arrogant comment as she turned back to Miranda and said, "Her lupus was in remission for the duration of her pregnancy. When the toxemia set on, so did the inflammation which in turn activated if you will the lupus. She is now in the middle of what we call a lupus flare-up."

Derek exhaled softly and said, "Does that mean that she won't get better? That she'll be in that state forever?"

Martha looked at him in confusion and said, "I'm not sure what state you are referring to because right now she's resting comfortably. If you are referring to the fact that her lupus is currently active, our next step is to see her rheumatologist so that he can prescribe the next course of action. I was concerned that the reason that she had a relapse had to do with the caesarean, but now that I'm assured that what she's fighting has more to do with her auto-immune disease instead of the childbirth, her rheumatologist should be better prepared to help her out of this crisis."

Miranda nodded and after gracing her with a smile turned to the remaining men and stated, "I'm going to Callie's office so we can call Dr. Revelle together. He needs to come over to Seattle Grace ASAP."

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Callie looked up as Miranda came running into her office. She was huddled in the middle of her couch with a cup of coffee between her fingers hoping that the warmth and sweetness of the coffee would transform into energy for her, energy she found was hard to feel. She was worried about her friends and what was going to happen to them. She became more concerned when she noticed the look of fear on Miranda's face. She stood up and said, "Has something happened with the twins? With Addison?"

Miranda nodded and motioned for her to sit back down and said, "She flat-lined. They had to resuscitate her and right now she's resting comfortably but Martha fears that her lupus is active."

Callie grimaced and said, "I was concerned about that. She had been fortunate enough to have her lupus in remission for the majority of her pregnancy and once the toxemia set in she…."

Miranda nodded and said, "I'm sorry I forgot how hard this must be for you, because it brings up a lot of memories."

Callie shrugged and said, "The last person you need to worry about now is me…What do we need to do to get Addison better?"

Miranda smiled and said, "I'm glad you asked that….We need to call Dr. Revelle."

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"Hey there beautiful." Derek stood by the side of the bed stroking Addison's face as her eyes fluttered and then locked on his in confusion.

"W-what happened?"

Derek sighed as he reveled in the sound of her voice. He took her hand in his, "Don't worry. Everything's going to be fine, you need your rest just let me hold your hand for a little while."

Addison looked downward and then jerked her head to him in fear, "Bab-bies?"

Derek smiled softly, "Miranda and Callie tell me that they are doing great. All the tests that Martha ran states that they are doing fine but who we are worried about is you. What do you think you're doing scaring Richard like that, I think you may have turned his whole head gray."

Addison struggled for a smile but was only able to come up with a grimace as she said, "Sor-rry."

Derek leaned in and kissed her on the lips, "Don't apologize because you're loved. Just know that our kids are doing great and you are going to be just fine."

Addison closed her eyes as she felt the tears slip out and she reached for his hand. She gripped on to it tightly and said, "Seen the babies?"

Derek flinched as he realized that he couldn't lie to his wife, he shook his head, "No sweetheart I haven't seen the twins yet. Their aunts have been keeping watch over them while I've been worrying about you."

Addison nodded and said, "Go see bab-ies."

Derek sighed against her forehead as he started to cry as the weight of the last couple of days caught up with him. Addison cradled his head in her hands as he sobbed against her chest overcome with relief.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"I love you."

Callie looked up from her breakfast in shock at Mark who was fidgeting in front of her with his breakfast in his hand. She cleared her throat and then said, "Sit down please."

Mark dropped his breakfast on the table as he took a chair and looked at her in expectation, "I said it. For the first time in my life, Mark Sloan has said that he loves another woman and actually meant it and that woman is you. I love you Callie Torres."

Callie sighed in happiness as she said, "That's nice Mark Sloan. It's good to know."

Mark rolled his eyes as he grabbed for her hand and said, "Don't leave me hanging, how do you feel about me? Tell me; am I in this thing alone?"

Callie shook her head as the smile blossomed over her face, "Of course you're not in this thing alone. I'm right here with you. I love you too Mark Sloan."

Mark grinned as he leaned forward and pressed a hard kiss against her lips and said, "You know that I mean it. I've never said these words besides to Addison and I didn't think I truly meant them until you. I want a life with you Callie and I want to be with you, only you for the rest of my days. No more of my whoring ways, you're it for me and I gotta tell you I never thought I would meet the woman than would make me want to give it all up. I want the whole package with you."

Callie felt the tears rolling down her cheeks as she spoke, "Damn it Sloan you're going to make me cry in the middle of the cafeteria. I want everything with you too."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Derek looked up as Dr. Revelle entered the hospital room. He was tempted to shake the man by his lapels for the matter-of-fact way he was reading Addison's reports, like they were just any other patient, any other person who didn't hold the key to his soul.

Dr. Revelle cleared his throat and said, "Derek, her results look good. They look better than good, they look excellent for what's she been through. I want to keep her in the hospital for the next 5 days while we monitor her vitals signs and pump her body full of anti-inflammatory medication while checking the inflammation on her organs. I also want to ensure that all the surgery stitches are healing properly but if she continues in this way she should be able to go home early next week."

Derek released the breath he didn't know he had been holding as he sighed in relief. "Thank you Doctor. I'll walk you out."

He was met with Miranda and Callie who were anxiously waiting for news on the health of their best friend. He smiled at them and said, "She's doing well. The doctor wants to monitor her vital signs for the next couple of days but if everything checks out, she can go home inside of a week."

Callie and Miranda hugged each other and then both of them stared at Derek with an evil glare in their eye, "Come on McStupid."

Derek started to flinch as Miranda grabbed onto his earlobe and started dragging him away from Addison's hospital room. "Ouch that hurts Miranda. Let me go." Miranda ignored his plea as she dragged Dr. Derek Shepherd, renowned neurosurgeon through the hallways of Seattle Grace to their final destination.

Miranda stopped in front of the nursery and said, "You can consider yourself let go. Now go in there and talk to your children. Talk to the babies that are now the center of your world, tell them that you love them and that you are sorry for being a jerk to their mother and to them. Apologize and say it like you mean it and don't come back here until you've bonded with them and can provide Callie and I with possible names for our niece and nephew. Callie and I are both open to having our names incorporated into the names."

Derek felt a laugh come through, the first one since this whole ordeal began and he nodded as he walked into the nursery preparing to meet his children for the first time.

* * *

Sigh, see? It only took 8 chapters, but we are starting to get back to normal! I'm not so bad right? 


	29. Chapter 29

A/N: So last chapter, let me know your thoughts, I'm still tinking with the next chapter. Epilogue coming soon!

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Addison was in pain but even as she was being elevated she knew that she had never felt happier or more complete. She was a mother, to two beautiful children and she was with the man that she loved more than her own life. Life couldn't get any better.

She sighed in happiness as the door to her hospital room opened and her two best friends entered the room. She flinched as the door slammed shut behind them and both started in on her.

Miranda took her turn first, "What the hell do you think you're doing? Do you know that I haven't been able to sleep for the last couple of days worrying about you? That's not to mention my poor husband who hasn't gotten any sleep either since I was pacing at all hours of the night waiting for word on your condition. And your nephew, let's not got there he's acting like he doesn't know how to sleep through the night anymore."

Miranda paused and then turned to Callie and said, "Your turn."

Callie scowled and started, "Let's juts discuss the fact that for the last two days I've had Mark Sloan constantly on my tail because all of a sudden he's in love with me but I couldn't even enjoy the news with my best friends because one of my best friends was on the verge of death. Then I'm forced by Richard to find away to make you want to live and Miranda and I were walking around this hallway trying to think of away for you to come to your senses and what do we get? We come up with the idea of bringing Dr. Glover here and I stayed up during all hours of the night getting this woman on a plane and here and for what? For you to crash on the table 3 times, 3 times Addison. I had to break up Mark and Derek from fighting; speaking of your husband is really an ass when you're not around to keep him in line."

Callie exhaled as Addison felt the tears of joy and laughter start to stream down her cheeks as she listened to her friends' impassioned pleas for retribution for her actions as of late. "I'm sorry. I know that seems inadequate for all the pain and worry I must've caused you but I'm sorry. I've had friends before but not real sisters like you two. Thank you for being by my side."

Miranda shook her head as she leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her friend's cheek and said, "Don't you ever do that to us again. We aren't as young as we used to be and we can't take too much more drama."

Callie smiled and Addison giggled softly, "So you and Mark huh?"

Miranda pulled up a chair and said, "We have so much to catch you up on."

Addison leaned back against her pillows and said, "Well ladies, I'm all ears, fill me in." Callie and Miranda sat down as they fell into a companionable silence, allowing the stress of the last couple of days fall away as they fell into their routine of friendship and sisterly affection.

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Derek walked by the incubators in shock as he looked upon his children for the first time. They were breathtaking. His daughter was small but her auburn hair and creamy ivory skin made her absolutely gorgeous not to mention when she opened her eyes she met yours with clear, hazel eyes that would certainly get her trouble for years to come. His son was his exact replica, with dark brown hair and ivory skin it was like looking at one of his old baby pictures. After he sat with them for almost an hour and talked to them and apologized like he had been instructed he felt the weight of the world leave his shoulders. His family was alright.

He walked out of the nursery and saw Mark standing at the window and said, "So how are they?"

Derek turned to the man who had been by his side during the whole saga of worrying about Addison and the children and pulled him into his arms. "Thanks Mark. Thank you for everything. Thank you for being my friend even when I was being a jerk to you. I know that what happened between you and Addison wasn't planned and I almost lost her and you were by my side. You were my side even when I was trying to push you away, Mark I want to get back to that place when we were more than friends, when we were brothers."

Mark pulled back and said, "Derek, are you sure man? Because, I need a friend and I need the friend that I once had so if you aren't sure about this don't tell me this. I need you in my life, you have a place, and you're my brother."

Derek smiled and sighed, "And you are mine. Do you want to meet your niece and nephew?"

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Richard walked into Addison's room with balloons, flowers and a huge baby bottle in pink and blue. Addison felt the tears start rolling down her cheeks as she met the eyes of the man that was like a father to her and said, "So Grandpa, I see you are already going overboard with spoiling your grandkids."

Richard sighed as he leaned down and kissed her gently on the temple, " Addison, you literally took ten years off of my life. The next time you decide to get in a life or death situation make sure I'm out of the country and when I get back everything's fine. I thought I was going to have a heart attack worrying about you and that's not to mention your husband. Derek has to be one of the most gifted surgeons and terrified husbands I've ever seen. It's for real this time Addison, he loves you. He's devoted to you and the children so be happy, you deserve after all you two fought for to be together."

Addison smiled as she held out her hand for Richard to hold and said, "Thank you for helping to keep him together, I'm sure that he couldn't have done it without you."

Richard kissed her knuckles and said, "He had everyone worried about him. Mark, Callie, Miranda and I all teamed up to make sure he took care of himself. It wasn't an easy task, I'll tell you though he was stubborn. He didn't want to listen to reason. He didn't want to leave your side."

Addison smiled as she felt the tears start anew and she said, "Do you think it will be okay? Will everything finally be okay between us Richard?"

Richard nodded as he still saw the fear in this beautiful woman even though he knew that she didn't have any reason to worry she was concerned about her family. "I think everything is going to be just fine."

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"Thank god you daughter looks like Addison. If a girl was stuck with your looks, I would just pity her."

Derek playfully swiped at his friend and said, "Well my son looks exactly like me and that is going to be good when he tries to get a date. He can flash them the Shepherd smile and women will fall into his arms."

Mark rolled his eyes and said, "As long as he has his Uncle Mark around to tell him about how to talk to a lady because you just barely got Addison as your wife. I thought I was going to have to propose because you were too choked up to say anything."

Derek grinned and said, "She's my wife and we are going on 12 years strong and I couldn't be happier."

Mark sighed as they walked out of the nursery; he stopped at the window as he stared at the twins and cleared his throat, "I'm in love with Callie. She's in love with me."

Derek stopped staring at his children to turn to his friend and smiled, "Congratulations are in order I take it."

Mark nodded and said, "I want it all with her Derek. I want the kids with her smile and her shining eyes, I want to wake up every morning with her cradled in my arms but I'm scared. I don't do vulnerable well Derek and every time I'm with her, she sees behind the face I put onto the world and she's able to read me the riot act when I deserve it. What does it feel like to have another woman know you're every thought, your every action before you even speak? She knows when I'm trying to bluff someone and put on the jackass mode; she knows everything about me and it scares and thrills me at the same time."

Derek shook his head as he listened to his friend express his feelings and said, "You're in love Mark for the first time in your life. You need to enjoy it, cherish it and don't ever let it go. This is the stuff the movies are made of. Make her happy, make her your everything, and don't ever forget that she holds your heart in her hands and vice versa. I got away from that for a moment and almost lost it all but I was able to pull it back in the nick of time. Don't ever get as lazy as I did, as complacent, there's no excuse not when you have a woman like Callie or Addison by your side. They deserve so much more than us but for some ungodly reason they chose us and we need to live up to them, not the other way around. We were fortunate enough they let us in and we need to be grateful for that fact."

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**Three Days Later **

"So Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd would you like to visit with your children?" Addison gasped as the door opened and Derek pushed in two carriers that held their children. Addison felt the tears rise in her eyes as she tried to get out of the bed and Derek shook his head and paused at the door, "Get back in bed or me and my children are going back to the nursery."

Addison felt the tears start to spurt from her eyes as she lay back in bed ignoring the shooting pain that was resident in her stomach from the caesarean as Derek smiled as he looked at her, "That's my obedient wife. Come on, we have to name these two children."

Addison swiped at the tears falling from her eyes as they were pushed into her view. She gasped in adoration and spoke softly, almost reverently, "They are beautiful Derek. Look at them."

Derek smiled as he leaned in and kissed her on the lips softly, "They are beautiful and you are beautiful. Have I told you lately how much I love you? Because I do love you that is, this was one of the hardest times in my life when I thought I was going to lose you and gain two children, I don't ever want to feel that fear again so I must warn you that they may be only children."

Addison kissed Derek back as she reached out longingly for her children, Derek reached in and picked up his son and handed him to Addison while he cradled his daughter in his arms as the Shepherd family was finally together for the first time since the ordeal began.

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"Derek and I are friends again. I didn't tell you before because I wasn't sure if it would last but he has been determined to be friends with me again." Callie looked up but didn't speak as she nodded while lying against his chest. They had called it an early night and were currently lounging in her bedroom and said, "I know that you missed his friendship. Hopefully, he can live up to your expectations."

Mark looked down at her and said, "My expectations?"

Callie nodded as she held his hand in hers and said, "You've been shouldering a lot of the blame for what happened in the friendship when Derek didn't admit that he had some blame as well. He needs to understand, that what happened is in the past and if he's able to move past it with Addison, you should be next in line. He's not exactly innocent in this whole thing anyway."

Mark squeezed her to him as he kissed the top of her head and said, "God I love you."

Callie smiled as she curled up against his chest and said, "So, how do you like this apartment?"

Mark shrugged, "I haven't really paid any attention to any other room other than the bedroom, but it has a lot of space. Addison knew what she's doing."

Callie nodded as she started to stroke the hair on his chest and said, "There's plenty of room for a roommate. So what do you say? Do you want to live with me?"

Mark grinned as he met her lips with his mouth and said, "I already cancelled my reservation at the hotel."

Callie rolled her eyes as Mark rolled her over to her back and she leaned up to meet their lips and whispered, "Cocky aren't we?"

Mark groaned as she moved under him and he said, "God, you don't know what that words means." He latched onto her lips as he felt himself losing grip on his resolve to prolong their lovemaking as he made love to her intensely for all the months that had spent apart.

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Derek and Addison had taken turns switching off the babies as they both oohed and aahed over the latest addition to the Shepherd clan. Derek looked up as he swore under his breath and said, "Nancy, we forgot to call Nancy and Mom. Addison! They are going to kill us."

Addison sighed as she watched her daughter take a long, yawn before she fell asleep in her arms as she looked up and said, "I called them this morning."

Derek stopped and said, "How do you do that? You are my perfect compliment and I don't know how I ever thought anyone could ever take your place or I could live without you by my side. You just are my counterpart in every sense of the word."

Addison smiled at him and said, "And you are mine. Although, I was starting to worry that we wouldn't make it for a moment. I love you Derek, don't ever doubt that and even though it seems like I didn't believe in our love or trust you when I said that I wanted to give you children, I meant it. This is the greatest gift that I could ever give you and the only one that I want us to be happy about always. We have two beautiful children."

Derek nodded as he leaned in and stroked her face before planting a kiss on her lips and said, "I love you Addison. So what are we going to name our new additions?"

Addison looked at her daughter and then her son and said, "I have an idea Shepherd. You take one, I'll take one."

Derek sighed and said, "I don't know, what if we don't agree on the names that we pick? Are we going to be stuck if you name our daughter Gladiola something or other?"

Addison laughed and then winced and said, "Don't make me laugh, it still hurts. I can promise you that I won't name our daughter Gladiola and just to ensure that I can name our son."

Derek shook his head as he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her lips, "I don't want a Derek jr. so I'll name our son with the stipulation that my daughter will not be named Gladiola."

Addison rolled her eyes as she said, "Deal but I get to veto the name if you come up with something like Oliver."

Derek feigned shock and said, "Now Oliver is a very nice name it means….."

Addison shook her head, "I don't care what it means you will not name my son Oliver. So we are decided that we each get a veto each or at least a chance to offer a better solution."

Derek nodded and said, "Deal." He picked up his son and said, "So what am I going to call you? Oliver, Rodney, Machiavelli, Rayburn?"

Addison started to laugh as she tried to keep the laughter down as the stitches still pulled and she rolled her eyes and looked down towards her daughter, "Francine, Geraldine, Bernice."

Derek gasped and said, "Give me my daughter; you will have her in therapy by the time she's four."

Addison shook her head in mirth and said, "If I give you my daughter, you have to give me my son."

Derek stared at her and said, "I don't know if I should trust you or not….Well, I guess I don't have another choice. Give me my daughter."

Derek held out his arms and Addison shook her head, "I believe the stipulations of our agreement set forth that we would exchange children and then proceed to naming."

Derek rolled his eyes, "What are you studying to be a lawyer on this side?" He handed his son over to Addison as she released her hold on the daughter simultaneously causing another bout of laughter to escape from their lips as they laughed at their own silliness.

Derek looked at his son and said, "Daughter, you don't know what I just protected you from. Years from this we will look upon this as nothing more than a memory but you could've been called Geraldine." He shuddered for emphasis causing another spurt of laughter to bubble out of Addison's throat.

Addison looked at her son and said, "You don't know how lucky you are my son. You dad actually thought it would be cute to call you Oliver, I know I'm cringing just as you but don't worry I have your best considerations at heart and I promise you won't ever be stuck with that name."

Derek locked eyes with Addison as the love poured out of his eyes and he leaned forward and pressed his lips against her urgently as her mouth opened up under his with a smile. He placed his hand on the back of her bed as he steadied himself trying to kiss his wife into the next century while keeping a grip on his daughter who was sleeping peacefully in his arms. He sighed as he pulled away breathing heavily and rested his head against her forehead, "We did it Addison. We beat the odds and we did it. We are Derek and Addison again."

Addison looked up at him with tears rolling down from her eyes as she nodded, "We are Derek and Addison again, not to mention Oliver and Geraldine."

Derek laughed as he pulled back and shook his head and said, "Okay, let's name these two."

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"They made it." Miranda nodded as she pulled away from the door where she had been privy to the loveplay that existed between her two friends and she nodded at the chief, "I think they are going to be okay chief."

Richard smiled as he placed an arm on her shoulder, "You helped to get them there, you should be proud of yourself."

Miranda shrugged off his approval and said, "It was them, they were always working together to a goal of being where they were before Seattle. That Derek and Addison, the idea in her mind that she never let go of but Derek tried to forget. They were a work in progress and I think now, they are as close to a finished product as I've ever seen."

Richard smiled and said, "They are a finished product and I couldn't be happier. I'll treat you to coffee and then you can explain to me why my previously zero credit card balance has now jumped to $5,000.00."

Miranda laughed and said, "Of course I can explain them, just as soon as you recall that you asked Callie and I to ensure that we did whatever was in our power to make sure Addison pulled through. I think you can see that we were successful with our end of the bargain, now if you have a problem in meeting the terms…."

Richard laughed as they walked away leaving the Shepherd's to their new family and their life together.

* * *

End 

Hmmm, I thought ending on Miranda and Richard was a nice touch, there's something about the dynamic between these two that I really believed made Grey's work (when I watched that is), they have an almost parental relationship over everyone in the hospital and I truly believe that both Miranda and Richard were pulling for Addison and Derek so I wanted them to acknowledge that two of their 'children' had grown up and were together. Ummm, epilogue coming soon so be on the lookout. I don't know how to end a story without an epilogue; so I guess one day I'll have to try.

P.S., I hope no one was offended by the names that Derek and Addison were making fun of, they just came off the top of my head. So if there is anyone out there with the names of Gladiola, Rodney, Rayburn, Oliver, Geraldine, Francine, Bernice or my PF(personal fav) of Machievelli, feel free to send me a scathing email for having a little jest at your expense. :)


	30. Epilogue

**A/N: So now we come to the end of the road...and still okay enough with the BoyzIIMen, I just  
wanted to thank all of you who came with me on this journey, it's been a blast and I'll be back  
shortly with another Addek/Mallie story...I know but unless someone can come up with another  
name for Mark/Callie, Mallie is what I have...I think I might post a bit of the prologue of the new  
story at the end of this one and you can tell me if you're interested...  
****  
Epilogue – Anniversary for Derek and Addison (9 months later) **

Derek nodded as he tried to speak quietly into the phone, "Listen Miranda, I know I'm putting you in an awkward position but just think, it's for Addison, she'll enjoy it. It will be wonderful and everyone will have a good time."

Derek smiled as he listened to Miranda grumble but finally acquiesce once he admitted that she would also be included in the festivities and the pampering.

As he hung up the phone he checked his watch and hoped that Mark could pull away from his new fiancée long enough to be able to help him with some last minutes details that he needed to give attention to.

Addison came down the stairs with a twin on each hip that started grinning as soon as they caught sight of their father. Addison smiled as she plopped the children into his arms and said, "They are yours officially for the day. Thanks for taking care of them and getting me a spa day for our anniversary, I don't know what else could be better than a day away from the office and the twins and just take some time to relax."

Derek smiled as he juggled his daughter, Jocelyn Renee Shepherd and his son, Gabriel Richard Shepherd who grinned and showed their matching set of dimples to their mother as they snuggled contentedly on their father's hip. Addison leaned in and kissed him softly, "Thank you for this spa day. I'll be back in plenty of time for dinner, are our babysitters lined up?"

Derek nodded and said, "Alex and Izzie are chomping at the bit to get their hands on our children. Something about needing practice, what have you heard about those two?"

Addison smiled a secret smile as she shrugged and said, "I know nothing."

The knock on the front door jolted Addison from their playfulness as she realized that they were no longer alone. She walked to the door and opened it wide as Callie and Miranda crossed the threshold in sweats and with their hair pulled back.

Addison stopped and turned back to Derek in shock and said, "What's all this about?"

Derek walked over to the door where her two closest friends were standing with eager grins on their face, "This is about you getting a spa day for you and your girlfriends. Ladies have fun and make sure my wife is home in one piece for our anniversary dinner."

Addison smiled as she leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips and said, "I love you." She then leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss on her twin's heads before she turned to her girlfriends and said,

"Okay ladies, lead the way. I'm all yours."

Miranda nodded at Derek over Addison's head and said, "We'll be back in plenty of time."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Addison leaned back as she moaned in pleasure as the masseuse released all of the tension from her upper back and shoulders. She turned on her side and saw Callie sighing in glee as she said, "I actually think I'm starting to like that husband of yours. He can't cook but he certainly does have his uses."

Addison laughed as she turned her head around and saw Miranda staring at her masseuse in disbelief. She turned to Addison and said, "I don't know if I'm too comfortable with just any man releasing the knots in my back and shoulders, that's supposed to be what my husband is there for."

Addison cackled and said, "Oh just lie down and enjoy it Miranda. It's not every day that we are allowed to be pampered, and as tight with the dollar that Derek can sometimes be, him pulling out all stops to ensure that I had all of my friends with me was something over the top and I wasn't expecting. Lest we forget the fiasco I had trying to move him out of the trailer into a real home?"

Callie sighed and Addison turned back to her other friend and said, "What's on your mind?"

Callie shook her head and said, "I need to send Mark to one of these masseuse courses, my guy is amazing. He relieved me of stress in places I didn't know existed. What's next on our agenda?"

The masseuse above Addison was the one who answered that question, "Ladies, we are just getting started. After your massage you will be given a facial, a manicure and pedicure and then we will send you over to our hair salon for primping."

Addison smiled and said, "I love my husband."

Miranda moaned and Addison looked over at her in shock and sad, " Addison, I love your husband too. Lower that's the spot."

Callie laughed as she heard Miranda enjoying her massage and turned her attention back to the one she was receiving as she allowed the magic of the masseuse's fingers take her off to another place.

Addison laid back down on the table and felt herself start to drift off into slumber on the table.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Derek opened the door as he thrust his daughter into Mark's arms, "Mark, you were supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago."

Mark scowled as he positioned Jocelyn on his hip and said, "I'm sorry traffic was a bit…bitter trip."

Derek raised his eyebrow, "You better be glad that Addison wasn't here to hear you almost say that, she would've made you put some money into the swear jar."

Mark laughed as he shook his head, "Swear jar? As much as Addison likes to let those words fly, I know that you have enough in that jar to plan for your second and third honeymoons."

Derek shook his head as he patted his son on the chest trying to relieve the gas that was currently trapped in his chest that made him cranky. " Addison is a different person when she's around the kids; she hasn't put a dime into the fund. I on the other hand, am down almost $300.00"

Mark snorted and said, "You are down $300.00? I don't believe it, I would've placed money on Addison being the poor one after all of that but I guess there's just no accounting for personalities. So back to the business at hand, what's left to do before the girls get here?"

Derek rolled his eyes and said, "Women, Mark women. You better be glad that you were able to find a woman who could put up with your ways."

Mark smiled slyly and said, "Why do you think I asked the woman to marry me? Speaking of which, we need to go get fitted for our tuxes. Callie also wants the twins in the wedding and since its six months away she swears they will be walking by then and would look adorable in the outfits she has picked out."

Derek shrugged his shoulders, "If she wants to assume that Jocelyn won't throw an attitude mid-ceremony, it's on her. Now my son……"

Mark cleared his throat, "No distinctions and besides you know darn good and well that Jocelyn takes after you and Gabriel after Addison. That's actually the funny part; Gabriel looks like you with the personality of Addison while Jocelyn looks like Addison with your personality. I just feel sorry for you once you guys reach teen years."

Derek sat down and motioned for him to do the same as he said, "I'm going upstairs to put Gabriel to sleep but since Jocelyn is up you can keep her company while I get him situated and then we can handle the last minute errands I need help with."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"That does it; I'm dropping Mark for Derek. The man knows what the word pamper truly means."

Addison sighed as she sipped on her fruit juice and said, "Sorry ladies, he's taken. Besides, after the news I give him tonight I don't think you'll want him."

Miranda stilled the hands of the woman who was currently pedicuring her feet as she looked at Callie in question who just shrugged and said, "What news are you talking about?"

Addison grinned and said, "If you two can keep a secret, I'll tell you."

Miranda rolled her eyes and said, "Will you get on with it already?"

Addison sighed and said, "Well after the rheumatologist did my checkups he noticed something abnormal in my blood work and even though I was momentarily frightened, it turns out I'm pregnant again."

Callie laughed and said, "That's wonderful Addison but you already have two kids, are you sure you're ready for another one? Heaven forbid, what happens if they are twins again?"

Addison leaned back in her chair as the woman massaged the arch in her foot and said, "I trust Derek and I know that whatever life throws at us, we will deal with it together. Besides, what better anniversary gift could there be than letting Derek know that our family is going to expand again?"  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"So I have the place, the food and the music but I need a song for us to dance on."

Mark sighed as he rolled his eyes, "Why didn't you tell me this sooner? I would've asked Callie to help me; I'm hopeless with that kind of stuff. I know who you can call though."

Derek reached for the phone and said, "Whoever it is, make sure they give me a good song. I don't want any old song for us to dance on, it has to be special."

Mark looked at him as he started dialing and met his eyes, "Have I ever let you down before?"

Derek paused and Mark looked at him preparing to see that old flicker of hurt but when it didn't come he exhaled happily and continued to dial while waiting for the person on the other end of the line to pickup.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Addison stepped out of the spa with her sunglasses over her face and her makeup impeccable. The spa had also boasted of a state-of-the-fashion boutique, that they simply had to try out. Addison walked in and instantly found the dress she was looking for. It was a hunter green full-length crepe gown that had a sheath skirt and a revealing plunging backline. Since those was the first time that she and Derek, had truly been out alone since the birth of the twins, she wanted to make sure she looked extra special.

Miranda and Callie came up behind her clutching similar type bags and Addison felt a tingling in the back of her mind, telling her that something was off but she was too happy with the day to worry about what could possibly not fit with the picture.

Addison sighed as she turned to her friends and said, "Next stop is lunch so tell me what you ladies have a taste for?"

Callie shrugged and sad, "As long as whatever I eat doesn't mess with my hairdo, manicure or pedicure I'm fine."

Miranda was in agreement with statement to which she uttered a firm, "Ditto."

Addison looked around the neighborhood that the ritzy spa was located in and said, "Hamburgers and fries?"

Miranda smiled as she looped one arms through Addison's while Callie took the other one and started walking. Callie piped up first, "Hamburger and fries are fine with me as long as they aren't McDonalds."

Addison threw her head back in full-fledged laughter as they walked towards their lunch and the rest of their day.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
"Damn it Shepherd, you couldn't have waited for the girls to return to try to dress the twins. I love my nephew and all but I swear if he pees in my face one more time, I'm never talking to you or him ever again."

Derek shrugged as he tried to smother the laugh that was just at the surface, "You should see how many times, I've been hit when changing his diaper. It's almost like he tries on purpose to get me and it would always happen just as I'm finishing up getting ready for work so I'm forced to change into a new pair of clothes. I'm learning to keep an extra pair in the car, in my gym bag and my locker at work."

Mark scowled even as he finished closing the diaper on his nephew and said, "So Jocelyn is still asleep. Do you think she'll be cranky if we wake her up now?"

Derek nodded, "Yes she will, but we don't have any other option. We need to get out of here before Addison, Miranda and Callie get here."

Mark sighed, "Okay fine, but since I handled pee-freely over here it's your turn to handle Jocelyn. I told you she has your temper so you better watch out. Where's my tux, I'll go get ready while I'm waiting."

Derek shook his head and said, "Forget getting ready, I need you to keep in your street clothes until the last possible moment. With these two children you never know when an 'accident' might happen. Go make sure that the restaurant is prepared."

Mark started off and Derek called his name, Mark spun around and said, "What's up?"

Derek stopped reaching for Jocelyn as he turned to his friend and said, "Thanks. If a year ago, I thought I would be planning a surprise anniversary party for Addison and I and you would be helping me organize it I would think they were crazy but here we are, proof positive that love and friendship can conquer all. So thanks."

Mark snickered and said, "You just want me to make the toast at the restaurant don't you?"

Derek turned back his attention to his daughter after flipping his friend the finger.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Addison pulled up to the house and looked back at Miranda and Callie in question, "Its dark in there."

Miranda shrugged, "So maybe he got called to the hospital before dinner. I'm sure he left you a note or something."

Addison sighed and said, "You're probably right, I guess I just thought that he wouldn't work tonight but I can't be selfish, he's a neurosurgeon and one of the best. So when duty calls, duty calls."

Miranda placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and said, "Come on, let's see the note he left for you."

Callie exhaled a deep breath; she didn't like deceiving her friend, even if it was for a good cause so she had asked Miranda to do all of the lying. Miranda had smirked at her and said that she needed to grow up because it was for a good cause. It's not like she was keeping the truth of Derek's infidelity from her or something.

Addison opened the door and reached for the light switch and filled the dark home with light as Addison opened her mouth in shock. She turned to Miranda and Callie and said, "Do you guys see this?"

Callie poked her head over Addison's shoulder as she looked at the multitude of bouquets of red roses that were now overflowing her kitchen.

Miranda started to look around as Callie started counting and then turned to Addison with a smile, "12 bouquets of red roses,"

Addison sighed in happiness as she reached up to wipe a tear, "A bouquet of roses for each year we've been married."

Miranda smirked as she started looking for the note and after locating it handed it to her said, "I hope you guys aren't still married in fifty years."

Addison flinched in disbelief and said, "Why would you say that?"

Miranda gestured to her kitchen and said, "Can you imagine Shepherd trying to fit fifty bouquets of red roses in this tiny kitchen?"

Addison laughed as she spoke, "He's a brain surgeon he'll figure it out. Besides, I think its sweet, well ladies I guess that's it for us. I don't see a note from Derek so I'm guessing he's either at the hospital or en route to the restaurant."

Miranda shook the note that was in Addison's hand waiting for her reading and after reading it pronounced, "Yea he's en route to the restaurant; he wants you to meet him there."

Addison reached for the note and scanned it with curiosity,

_Addison,_

_Sorry I had to stop by the hospital to see a patient. I hope you enjoyed your time at the spa because our anniversary date is just beginning. You have one hour to get ready, (don't make a face at me) you know an hour is plenty of time. Invite Miranda and Callie to join you and pull out those new dresses that I'm sure you put on my tab. _

_Love Always, _

_Derek _

Addison started to smile as she re-read the note over and over again and said, "This is so sweet, so girls I guess this isn't goodbye. Come on, we can get ready in my room."

Miranda nodded as the trio marched up to Addison's bedroom to start getting ready for her anniversary date with her husband.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Damn it man, will you stop fidgeting? She will be here any moment now and if she's not, I warned you to give her longer than an hour to get ready, this is Addison we are talking about."

Derek rolled his eyes at his best friend as he looked towards the table where they were going to be sitting with the twins decked out in matching maroon, velvet evening wear. Derek couldn't stop taking pictures of their beautiful children and tried to act humble when everyone came by to congratulate him on his gorgeous children.

He checked his watch again as the door opened and Addison walked through the door. He stopped for a moment entranced by the sight of his beautiful wife. Dressed in a simple, elegant hunter green gown with her hair lifted away from her face in an elegant upsweep, she was by far the prettiest woman in the room and she still had the ability to take his breath away.

Derek started forward as he saw her scanning the crowd; he stopped in front of her with a grin. He rocked on his heels as he decided his next course of action. Addison looked at him in confusion, "What's wrong Derek?"

Derek shook his head, "You look so beautiful and I'm trying to decide whether I should kiss you or not. If I kiss you my carnal needs will be met but I'm also a selfish bastard and I want the whole world to see how beautiful you are and that you belong to me."

Addison smiled from the inside out as her love for him shone through her eyes as she looked her husband up and down before speaking, "You don't look so bad yourself Shepherd. I must admit, you've surprised me, I thought the spa and dinner was enough but this is turning out to be more than I expected. You are here dressed in a tux and I'm not looking too bad so I'm curious what happens next?"

Addison didn't have to wait long as the lights in the hotel dimmed and Addison noticed for the first time that the restaurant wasn't as busy as they normally were. She hadn't given a thought to process anything except for the man in front of her. As the lights slowly came back on she realized that she was in Derek's arms with him cradling her from behind as the restaurant lights came back on and she gasped in shock.

Addison stepped forward in the middle of the restaurant that had been transformed into a ballroom and started surveying the people at the tables who were all standing, applauding and smiling at them. Addison turned back as she felt the tears roll down her cheeks. She stood in the middle of the floor, transfixed on all the faces that she was bombarded with. Richard was there with Adele, Mark was holding on to Callie while Miranda was busy sneaking a smooch from her husband. Savvy and Weiss had made an appearance as well in addition to her mother-in-law and Nancy as she saw the happiness that resided in all of their eyes and smiled.

She turned back to Derek and said, "This is wonderful and so very special, thank you Derek."

She crossed the room and hugged him before pulling back and kissing him passionately. As his arms came around and settled at her waist, she opened her mouth up under his and grabbed onto the back of his neck as she tried to show him with her mouth all the things her heart couldn't say in this public place.

Derek pulled back and said, "If you do that again, I might have to end this evening a little early."

Addison leaned forward and whispered huskily, "That works for me," before leaning in and kissing her husband again.

The whistle cut through the boisterous clapping as Mark turned to Addison and Derek as he pulled Callie up and into his arms before speaking, "I just wanted to thank all of you for coming out to this anniversary party. I know it means the world to Derek and Addison, and after all of the obstacles they've overcome to be together I couldn't be happier for this two," He raised his glass and instructed everyone else to do the same, "To Derek and Addison."

'To Derek and Addison'

The sound of Derek and Addison caused Derek to squeeze Addison to his side tighter as she surveyed the restaurant and saw her children sitting happily in their high chairs. Addison started forward as she pressed kisses to their heads and said, "Derek, this is wonderful. There are no words to express how happy I am and how happy you made me. I never expected this in a million years, thank you."

Derek smiled as he held out the chair for his wife and after sitting her down he sat down himself and said, "This is only the beginning of our night Addison." He passed her a glass of champagne which Addison refused and said, "Sometimes, I might still need to breastfeed and I prefer that in not be in the twins system."

Derek raised an eyebrow in question but didn't comment any further as they started to enjoy their dinner.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

As they finished up their dessert, music started to fill the room. Addison turned to Derek and said, "What now Shepherd?"

Derek stood up and held out his hand, "May I have this dance Mrs. Shepherd?"

Addison nodded as she stood up and placed her hand in his, "I'd be delighted Mr. Shepherd."

Derek pulled her into the middle of the ballroom as he pulled her back into his arms as the strands of the music started to make words, words that fit their relationship perfectly.

_All the things you are to me, darling you have set me free  
Always give you what you need and what you desire. _

Derek held her in his arms and said, "I'll always be here for your Addison. I won't ever desert you, ever again, I will always been whatever you want, whatever you need and I want to be the only man that you desire."  
_  
All the joy and all this love, and all that it is from above  
Now together there's enough to fill this world.. _

Addison laid her head on his shoulder and said, "All the love that we have between us, the love that we have for each other and our children, it's enough Derek. It's enough to fill every corner of Seattle and then probably Manhattan."

_'Cause you are the love of my life, you are the love  
of my life..and now we're man and wife._

_All the things that you would do..you know I'm standing  
next to you, darling I will see you through the rest.. of our  
lives.. With you beside me I have won, I'm glad I waited for  
so long, but there's no doubt that you are the one..for me._

Derek pulled back as he met Addison's eyes and said, "I'm here for the long run Addison. I know it might sound strange but I'm actually glad Meredith happened because; it took me to almost lose you for me to realize everything you meant for me. There's no doubt in my mind Addison, you are the one for me."

_You are the love of my life, you are the love of my life..  
and everytime, they'll be things, everything is gonna be fine..  
Now you're in my life._

_So I give you heart and soul, its yours to take wherever you go,  
through the years you'll always know it's yours to keep. God has  
blessed this sacred vow, Angels high above look down, see the two  
of us we've found the perfect love_

Addison moaned as she meet his lips in a breathtaking kiss and then smiled back at him with happiness shining through her eyes and said, "You have everything of me Derek. You have my heart and soul and whiter we build our family here in Seattle or wherever the years may lead us, I'm with you. I feel like we've found this perfect love and I don't want to ever lose it."

Derek kissed her softly and said, "We won't ever lose it Addison, we won't ever let anything touch our happiness."

Addison sighed as she laid her forehead against his chin and said, "Derek, I wanted to give you my anniversary present but it sorta pales in comparison to this surprise you've prepared for me."

_You are the love of my life, you are the love of my life..  
You are the love of my life, you are the love of my life..  
Now we're man and wife..we're man and wife.  
Now we're man and wife..we're man and wife..  
We're man and wife.._

Derek leaned back in question as he started stroking her face with his hand and said, "What's bothering my beautiful wife on this night so special for us?"

Addison took his hand and moved it down to her stomach, "Love of my life, we've created another one."

Derek felt the tears well in his eyes, "You're pregnant Addison?"

Addison nodded as they moved effortlessly across the floor not even noticing that the music had stopped and said, "We are going to have another baby. I hope you don't think it's too soon. The doctor said that since my lupus has been under control for these last couple of months that as long as I stay stress-free and keep with my checkups there's no reason, I can't have a normal pregnancy. Are you happy Derek?"

Derek pressed his lips to hers as he smiled in happiness, "Nothing can make me happier than you by my side for the rest of our lives with all of our children. Another child can only multiply that love if that's even possible."

Addison nodded as she looked into his eyes, "It's very possible."

Derek held her against his chest as they danced to music of their own long into the night.

End

* * *

Credits; Michelle Featherstone, We Are Man and Wife (email me if you want a copy of this song) Its pure love! 

Also, I was so going to miss the Callie/Addison/Miranda trio so the beginning of the epilogue was dedicated to my girls. Sigh, if my Addie goes bye-bye this will be one of the things, I miss the most. Thoughts pretty please!


End file.
